
At least 24 Palestinians in Gaza fatally shot on their way to aid distribution site
The incident unfolded close to an aid hub near Rafah run by The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an Israeli-backed American organisation.
One injured man said he was about 200 metres from the site when an Israeli tank started firing at crowds.
'We were together, and they shot us at once,' Abdullah al-Haddad said. He was in hospital with an injured leg.
Israel 's military said it fired warning shots toward people it said were behaving suspiciously to prevent them from approaching, and was not aware of any casualties.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said no incident occurred near its sites.
A woman whose son was killed in the shooting said she had previously stopped him from going to the site, because she thought it was too dangerous.
'He said to me, 'Mom, you don't have flour and today I'll go and bring you flour, even if I die, I'll go and get it,'' Sumaya al-Sha'er said.
'But he never came back home.'
According to the United Nations, at least 798 people have been killed by Israeli fire at food distribution points in Gaza since the end of May, with the majority of incidents at sites run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
The GHF denies there has been violence in or around its sites.
The UN and other aid groups have said they struggle to distribute aid due to widespread looting and Israeli military restrictions.
Meanwhile, at least 28 Palestinians, including four children, were killed by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza on Saturday, Palestinian health officials said.
The deaths come amid intense airstrikes in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, and Khan Younis in the south of the territory.
Ceasefire talks are ongoing following two days of meetings between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Trump had said he was closing in on an agreement between Israel and Hamas that would bring the release of more hostages from Gaza and potentially wind down the war.
The militant group still holds some 50 hostages, with at least 20 believed to remain alive.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


STV News
an hour ago
- STV News
Swinney urges Starmer to engage with Scotland over Gaza evacuations
The Prime Minister has been urged to engage with Scotland on evacuating injured children from Gaza who would otherwise be 'left to die'. First Minister John Swinney wrote to Sir Keir Starmer earlier this month, saying Scotland 'stands ready' to receive some of the 2,000 children from Gaza injured as a result of the Israeli bombardment of the territory, to be treated in the NHS. But Swinney claims to have received no response from the Prime Minister. In a statement to the PA news agency, Swinney said: 'It is deeply saddening that so far the UK Government has refused to even enter into a dialogue about medical evacuations for children in Gaza who, without proper medical attention, will be left to die. 'That is the frank reality of life in Gaza under Israeli bombardment and blockade. 'The healthcare system in Gaza is on the brink of total collapse, with surgeons working day and night under artillery fire, with inadequate supplies and often no electricity. 'We know that many hospitals have been targeted and decimated by the IDF (Israel Defence Forces).' The First Minister added that Scotland is prepared 'to do what is required to save the lives of as many of these kids as we can'. PA Media His initial call came after a meeting with children's charity Unicef, prompting him to declare a 'race against time' to help children in need of urgent medical care. 'But we can't do so without the support of the Labour Government to get the children through the UK visa system and into Scotland,' he said. 'The suffering, torment and killing of the people of Gaza has gone on for far too long. 'I urge the Prime Minister to urgently engage with the Scottish Government on this issue so we can save as many young lives as we can.' A spokeswoman for the UK Government said: 'Since the start of the conflict, UK support has provided essential healthcare to over 430,000 people in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. 'We have helped several children with complex paediatric conditions access privately funded medical care in the UK, supporting an initiative by Project Pure Hope. 'We have been clear the situation in Gaza is intolerable and that there must be an immediate ceasefire. 'We urge Israel to let vital humanitarian aid in and allow Gazans to receive urgent healthcare, including allowing the sick and wounded to temporarily leave the Gaza Strip to receive treatment.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country


Reuters
2 hours ago
- Reuters
Israel issues new evacuation orders in central Gaza as hunger worsens
CAIRO, July 20 (Reuters) - The Israeli military issued evacuation orders on Sunday in areas of central Gaza packed with displaced Palestinians where it hasn't operated so far in its war with Hamas, while medics said at least 30 people were killed waiting for aid as hunger mounts. The military evacuation demand, which could signal an imminent attack on neighbourhoods in Deir al-Balah, alarmed the families of Israeli hostages, who fear their relatives are being held there. Much of Gaza has been reduced to a wasteland during more than 21 months of war and there are fears of accelerating starvation. Health officials at Al Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza said at least 30 Palestinians were killed and dozens of others wounded by Israeli fire as crowds gathered to await the entry of U.N. aid trucks. Israel's military said it was checking the report. Palestinian health officials said hundreds of people could soon die as hospitals were inundated with patients suffering from dizziness and exhaustion due to the scarcity of food and a collapse in aid deliveries. "We warn that hundreds of people whose bodies have wasted away are at risk of imminent death due to hunger," the health ministry, which is controlled by Hamas, said. The United Nations also said on Sunday that civilians were starving and needed an urgent influx of aid. The Israeli military dropped leaflets from the sky ordering people in several districts in southwest Deir al-Balah, where hundreds of thousands of displaced Gazans have been sheltering, to leave their homes and head further south. "The (Israeli) Defense Forces continues to operate with great force to destroy the enemy's capabilities and terrorist infrastructure in the area," the military said, adding that it had not entered these districts during the current conflict. Israeli sources have said the reason the army has so far stayed out is because they suspect Hamas might be holding hostages there. At least 20 of the remaining 50 hostages in captivity in Gaza are believed to still be alive. Hostage families demanded an explanation from the army. "Can anyone (promise) to us that this decision will not come at the cost of losing our loved ones?" the families said in a statement. Some Palestinians suggested the move on Deir al-Balah might be an attempt to put pressure on Hamas to make more concessions in long-running ceasefire negotiations. Israel and Hamas are engaged in indirect talks in Doha aimed at reaching a 60-day truce and hostage deal, although there has been no sign of breakthrough. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages back to Gaza. The Israeli military campaign against Hamas in Gaza has since killed more than 58,000 Palestinians according to health officials, displaced almost the entire population and plunged the enclave into a humanitarian crisis. Local health authorities said a total of 45 people had been killed in separate Israeli gunfire and airstrikes across Gaza on Sunday. Residents said it was becoming impossible to find essential food such as flour. The Gaza health ministry said at least 71 children had died of malnutrition during the war, and 60,000 others were suffering from symptoms of malnutrition. Food prices have increased well beyond what most of the population of more than two million can afford. Several people who spoke to Reuters via chat apps said they either had one meal or no meal in the past 24 hours. "As a father, I wake up in the early morning to look for food, for even a loaf of bread for my five children, but all in vain," said Ziad, a nurse. "People who didn't die of bombs will die of hunger. We want an end to this war now, a truce, even for two months," he told Reuters. Others said they felt dizzy walking in the streets and that many fainted as they walked. Fathers leave tents to avoid questions by their children about what to eat. UNRWA, the U.N. refugee agency dedicated to Palestinians, demanded Israel allow more aid trucks into Gaza, saying it had enough food for the entire population for over three months which was not allowed in. "The Israeli Authorities are starving civilians in #Gaza. Among them are 1 million children. Lift the siege: allow UNRWA to bring in food and medicines," it wrote on X on Sunday. Israel has denied accusations it is preventing aid from reaching Gaza and has accused Hamas of stealing food, an allegation Hamas denies. It also says the United Nations has not picked up aid ready to move into Gaza.

The National
4 hours ago
- The National
UK Government facing legal action over Gaza medical evacuations
Reports from The Guardian reveal a case has been brought against the Foreign Office and the Home Office on behalf of three children with life-threatening conditions. Lawyers argue ministers have failed to consider the severe lack of medical care in Gaza before denying evacuation requests. READ MORE: 'Israel killed my brother. My boycott app in his memory now has 11 million users' The legal claim highlights the UK's inconsistency, pointing out that Britain evacuated children from war zones in Bosnia and Ukraine, but has not done so for Gaza. Carolin Ott of Leigh Day, the law firm representing the children, told The Guardian: 'The UK Government has explained its failure on the basis that it supports treatment options in [[Gaza]] and the surrounding region and that there are visas available for privately funded medical treatment in the UK. 'However, these mechanisms are profoundly inadequate.' The children's families say evacuation is urgently needed. One child, aged two and referred to in the case as Child Y, suffers daily bleeding caused by an arteriovenous malformation in his cheek, leaving him in critical condition. The two other children, referred to as Child S, are siblings with cystinosis nephropathy, a chronic condition also known as leaky kidney. Both have developed kidney failure and may require transplants, and one sibling is now immobile as a result. Despite pressure from campaigners, the UK has not created a specific safe immigration route for these children. The genocide in Gaza has now lasted over 650 days. More than 17,000 of the 58,000 Palestinians killed were children, according to Gaza's health ministry. READ MORE: 'Time to take action': What it was like at the national Palestine demo in Edinburgh The World Health Organization estimates 12,500 [[Gaza]]ns require medical evacuation. As of April, over 7000 have been evacuated abroad, nearly 5000 of them children. As reported by The National, Dr Hani Isleem of Médecins Sans Frontières previously said that some countries fear that accepting patients will be seen as encouraging 'forced migration.' A UK Government spokesperson said they've funded healthcare for 500,000 Palestinians and backed initiatives like Project Pure Hope. However, only two children have reached the UK via this route, and government funding was denied. First Minister John Swinney recently wrote to Keir Starmer, urging him to 'engage' with Scotland over treating ill and injured Gazan children, though Starmer is yet to reply. The Government must respond to the legal challenge by 28 July.