After report about Iran's increasing uranium stockpiles, Iranian FM stresses Iran's cooperation
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The Iranian Foreign Minister spoke by phone with the director of the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog agency early Sunday morning after a report from the agency said Iran is further increasing its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels.
Writing on Telegram, Abbas Araghchi said he stressed Iran's 'continuous cooperation' in his conversation with Rafael Mariano Grossi, the head of the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency. The IAEA did not immediately return a request for comment about the phone call.
The confidential IAEA report, which was seen by the Associated Press on Saturday, raised a stern warning, saying that Iran is now 'the only non-nuclear-weapon state to produce such material' — something the agency said was of 'serious concern.'
Araghchi emphasized to Grossi that all of Iran's nuclear activities are within the framework of agreements and being monitored by the IAEA. The IAEA said in a separate report that Iran's cooperation with the agency has been 'less than satisfactory' when it comes to uranium traces discovered by IAEA inspectors at several locations in Iran that Tehran has failed to declare as nuclear sites.
Araghchi also asked Grossi to ensure 'that certain parties do not exploit the agency for political agendas against the Iranian people.' European nations could take further steps against Iran based on the comprehensive report, leading to a potential escalation in tensions between Iran and the West.
Iran's deputy foreign minister on Sunday published a detailed response, rejecting many of the report's findings. Kazem Gharibabadi noted that out of the IAEA's 682 inspections of 32 states, 493 were carried out in Iran alone.
'So long as a country's nuclear activities are under the IAEA's monitoring, there is no cause for concern,' he said. 'The Islamic Republic of Iran is neither pursuing nuclear weapons nor does it possess any undeclared nuclear materials or activities.'
The IAEA report said that as of May 17, Iran has amassed 408.6 kilograms (900.8 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60%.
That's an increase of almost 50% since the IAEA's last report in February. The 60% enriched material is a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%.
The phone conversation between Araghchi and Grossi came hours after Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, who is mediating the U.S.-Iran talks, visited Tehran on Saturday to present the latest U.S. proposal for ongoing talks.
The U.S.-Iran talks are attempting to limit Iran's nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of some of the crushing economic sanctions the U.S. has imposed on the Islamic Republic, which have strained relations for almost 50 years. The fifth round of talks between the U.S. and Iran concluded in Rome last week with 'some but not conclusive progress,' al-Busaidi said at the time.
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Wildfire updates: 25 Alberta blazes deemed out of control More evacuations in Saskatchewan
With hot temperatures, strong winds and threats of lightning throughout the previous week, Alberta Wildfire warned weather conditions could cause fires to be very active and likely grow. The agency also issued a fire ban for northern and central parts of the province's Fire Protection Area, banning wood fires on public or private land. Propane fire pits and barbecues are still allowed. As of Sunday evening, the province reported 49 wildfires burning, 25 of which were classified as out of control. Read on for more of what you need to know about the evolving wildfire situation in Alberta and Western Canada. Readers are welcome to share photos, videos and information by emailing submit@ What you need to know about wildfires in Canada More to read in-depth Raging Western Canadian wildfires that have forced thousands of people from their homes are now also prompting evacuations from oilsands projects in northern Alberta. A fire near Cold Lake is bearing down on oilsands operations and curtailing production in the region as employees are told to leave. Out-of-control fires in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are threatening towns and mining operations as crews fight to contain the blazes. Canadian Natural Resources Ltd., the largest oil and gas producer in the country, said Saturday it had evacuated workers from its Jackfish 1 oilsands project and halted 36,500 barrels per day of bitumen production. 'All workers are safe and accounted for with no reported injuries,' the Calgary-based company said in a statement. Similarly, MEG Energy Corp. said late Saturday it had 'proactively' evacuated all non-essential personnel from its Christina Lake project and that the wildfire had caused an outage to a third-party power line, disconnecting it from the grid. The company said it is still producing oil from the project, though the startup of an additional 70,000 barrels per day of production will be delayed as a result of the power loss. 'We are working closely with authorities and coordinating with our industry peers to support each other and resume normal operations,' MEG President and CEO Darlene Gates said in a statement. Earlier, Cenovus Energy Inc. put customers on notice that it may not make some oil deliveries from one asset and evacuated staff from another in the Cold Lake region. — Bloomberg News Wildland firefighters in Alberta are dealing with seven out-of-control wildfires of note, according to information supplied by the province of Alberta updated Saturday. Swan Complex: The Edith Lake wildfire and Hubert Lake wildfire were merged into the Swan Complex on Friday. Crews are fighting the fires in the Swan Hills and Westlock areas. Swan Hills and Hubert Lake Wildland Provincial Park are under evacuation orders. Red Earth East Complex: A number of wildfires affecting communities including Trout, Peerless, Red Earth Creek, Loon Lake, and Chipewyan Lake have been merged into one complex. Evacuations have been ordered in Chipewyan Lake Loon Lake First Nation and Red Earth Creek. January Creek: This wildfire in Yellowhead County has led to the evacuation of Peers. Caribou Lake: Efforts to protect structures at Winefred Lake were delayed due to dangerous conditions. Conklin remains under wildfire alert. 'Two oil and gas facilities (MEG energy, Pike Lodge) and two fishing lodges (Winefred Lake, Winefred Outfitters) have been evacuated,' the province said. Whitefish: Efforts underway to protect buildings in Whitefish First Nation, which is under evacuation notice, although there was no threat to the community at last report. Sousa Creek: This wildfire east of Rainbow Lake registered significant growth. Hay River 209 Indian Reserve and Chateh have been evacuated, the province said, noting some structure protection work was underway. HWF040 east of La Crete Ferry: This wildfire, approximately 20 kilometres east of the Tompkins Landing (La Crete) Ferry and 35 kilometres east of Highway 35, is 395 hectares in size and has been classified as out of control. It has grown in the northeast and is now up against highway 697. Tulip Lake: Firefighters from Alberta and the Northwest Territories are working together to fight this blaze, which started in Alberta but has since crossed the border into the N.W.T. The fire was southeast of Fort Smith, N.W.T., at last report. While there has been significant wildfire activity in northern Alberta in the last few days, provincial fire risk ratings show almost all of southern Alberta facing 'extreme' wildfire risk as of Saturday. Such conditions mean 'forest fuels are extremely dry and pose a very serious fire risk. Fast-spreading, high-intensity fires are likely, which are very difficult to control.' Firefighters in Saskatchewan have made little gains on controlling the wildfires scorching northern communities during a dry, hot period. The latest community under evacuation orders: Timber Bay residents were alerted Sunday morning to leave immediately, according to the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA). The order was issued Sunday at 10:55 a.m. for the 81-person hamlet that straddles the east shore of Montreal Lake. Residents were told to self-evacuate by driving 490 kilometres south to Regina on Highway 969 and Highway 2, and to meet SPSA staff at the Meridian Inn and Suites at 3800 Harbour Landing Drive. The largest active blaze in the province is known as the Shoe fire, located east of Timber Bay. As of Sunday, it was 305,000 hectares in size and has moved north, said SPSA vice-president of operations Steve Roberts at a Sunday news conference. The fire has also put the communities of Molanosa, East Trout Lake, Whelan Bay, Narrow Hills and Little Bear on evacuation alert, added the SPSA. A mix of high daytime temperatures, warm evenings and high winds has presented challenges to the teams fighting to contain the blazes around the province. 'This (weather) will drastically impact our ability to contain some of these fires and will actually cause some of these fires to grow in size over the next period of time,' Roberts said. The public safety agency says the estimated number of evacuees is still around 8,000, and hopes to keep that number stable. — Nykole King, Regina Leader-Post The United States is assisting the fight against wildfires in Western Canada and Ontario. The U.S. Department of Agriculture deployed an airtanker to Alberta on Saturday. Meanwhile, 150 firefighters and support personnel alongside sprinkler kits, pumps, and hoses and other equipment have been mobilized to help with Canadian wildfire response. 'We are here to help our neighbours during their time of need, and our Forest Service Wildland Firefighters are the best in the business. I am thankful for the men and women who are bravely stepping up to serve. We pray for their success as they fight fires and save lives,' said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins in a news release issued Saturday. A wildfire in northeastern B.C. that prompted an evacuation order on Thursday has quadrupled in size. The B.C. Wildfire Service said Friday the blaze in the Peace River Regional District near the community of Kelly Lake is mapped at 46 square kilometres in size, up from 11 square kilometres Thursday afternoon. The out-of-control fire was burning close to the Pembina Steeprock gas processing facility and Highway 52 E, also known as the Heritage Highway. The Peace River Regional District issued the evacuation order for homes around Kelly Lake and areas north of Campbell Lake, west of Tent Lake, south of Twin Lakes, and east of the Alberta border. On Saturday, provincial fire information officer Sarah Budd said there were 63 active wildfires in B.C. Of those, 51 per cent were considered out of control. — Tiffany Crawford, Vancouver Sun Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe told a news conference Saturday that ongoing hot, dry weather is allowing some fires to grow and threaten communities, and that the current figure of 8,000 fire evacuees could climb to 10,000. Bruce Fidler, the mayor of Creighton said the majority of the town's 12,000 residents have evacuated, with only firefighters, essential public works employees, Fidler as mayor and a couple of municipal councillors remaining. Fidler said the northern community remains under threat from the fire and that air quality is not good. 'The fire is very close, last night the wind was against us so it was pushing the smoke and the fire back towards the community,' he said on Saturday. The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) on Saturday said it was dealing with 16 active wildfires, seven of which are classified as not being contained and one being listed as protecting values. Moe said the province is devoting a large number of resources, including 220 provincial wildland firefighters along with people from 13 municipal fire services. As well, 410 firefighters from northern communities are also helping battle fires. The premier added that there are currently 12 provincial aircraft attacking the fires, as well as between 20 to 30 helicopters. The province is also getting support from across Canada, including Yukon and Quebec, as well as from Alaska and Arizona in the United States, he said. — Michael-Joel Hansen, Saskatoon StarPhoenix At least 430 people in the community of Cranberry Portage faced a mandatory evacuation Saturday morning after wildfires on both sides of a nearby highway damaged and burned multiple hydro poles, leading to a power outage in the community. A post shared Saturday morning on the Facebook page for the rural municipality of Kelsey shared that a mandatory evacuation order has been instated as of 9 a.m. Saturday morning and residents have until 3 p.m. the same day to evacuate the community and go to Winnipeg. Residents were advised to avoid Highway #10, where the wildfires are burning, and take Highway #39 and Highway #6 to the Billy Mosienko arena in Winnipeg. The order was upgraded from a voluntary evacuation order placed Friday evening, with residents encouraged to make arrangements with family and friends or come to the Rendezvous room at the Wescana Inn. Residents in the communities of Mercoal and Robb faced a mandatory evacuation order Friday night due to a nearby wildfire west of Mercoal and southwest of Robb, according to Alberta Emergency Alert. Meanwhile, those in Marten Beach were places on short notice for evacuation due to an out-on-control wildfire north of the community. Fire chiefs across southern Alberta are increasingly concerned about the risk of wildfire due to the current dry conditions. This week, some municipalities in southern Alberta, including Foothills and Cyprus counties, have enacted fire restrictions, and some, including Lethbridge County and Vulcan County, have put fire bans in place. Patrick Neumann, fire chief for both the Town of Pincher Creek and the surrounding municipal district, said Friday that 2025 could be a busy fire year in southwestern Alberta. 'Especially in the southwest corner of the province, we've got very, very little rain since the beginning of the April probably,' he said, adding some areas south of Highway 3 have had more precipitation. On Friday, the region moved to a fire restriction, from an advisory, due to the current conditions. — Stephen Tipper Wildfire activity across Western Canada has resulted in air quality advisories and widespread smoke in many parts of Canada and the United States on Friday. 'At the moment, our main concerns are northern Alberta, east-central areas (of Alberta), all of Saskatchewan, all of Manitoba, parts of the Northwest Territories and we even have smoke making it to Nunavut,' said Natalie Hasell, warning preparedness meteorologist at Environment and Climate Change Canada. Weather forecasters in the U.S. are also warning of smoky conditions into the Great Lakes regions and possibly across the Great Plains. While Calgary and much of southern Alberta are clear of smoke for now, sudden changes in the weather could alter the situation. 'Should the winds shift and have more of a component out of the north, that smoke could come to you,' Hasell said. Recent hot and dry conditions mixed with the possibility of thunderstorms could also pose a concern, causing new fires and creating more sources of smoke, she added. Smoke forecasting is limited to a very short period, owing to the unpredictability of the wildfire situation. 'We only do smoke forecasting on a short-term basis — 36 to 48, sometimes 72 hours,' Hasell said. 'We can't tell where the next fire is going to be, exactly. We can have a pretty good idea of where lightning is going to strike and maybe cause fires, but lightning is only half the story. 'A lot of fires are caused by human activity. We don't have a forecast that can capture that, so there's no point in forecasting very long term.' After wildfires are sparked, meteorologists are able to track where the resulting smoke might end up. 'Once the fires have started, they are hotspots, so we can actually see them on satellite imagery. As long as there isn't too much cloud in the way, we can get a pretty good signature of where a fire is and then we can insert that into our atmospheric models,' Hasell said. 'Our models can show how the smoke is going to disperse, so it'll depend on the wind direction the wind speed also the stability of the air.' With smoke and pollutants knowing no borders, forecasters in Canada and the U.S. are constantly exchanging wildfire and weather data to produce smoke forecasts, Hasell added. Less than six weeks ago, Marlo Pritchard was anticipating an average season for wildfires in Saskatchewan. That was on the heels of a 2024 season which saw the province's second-largest number of wildfire incidents and the second-largest recorded burn area in a decade. 'The overall picture for Saskatchewan indicates better conditions than we saw in 2024,' Pritchard, president of the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency, said on April 23. That statement is a far cry from those made Thursday by Pritchard and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, who triggered a state of emergency and put the call out for anyone with wildfire training to report to their nearest firehall. On Friday morning, the SPSA said 207 year-to-date fires have been registered in Saskatchewan, which is 80 more than the five-year average and 40 more than the previous year to date. More than 8,300 people from northern Saskatchewan are under evacuation orders, and fire bans have expanded to include driving all-terrain vehicles and utility terrain vehicles. 'I do fear things are going to deteriorate with the weather that we have ahead of us,' Moe said Thursday. — Alec Salloum, Regina Leader-Post Manitoba officials and federal counterparts continued to evacuate communities threatened by wildfire on Friday. 'The Government of Canada and the Canadian Armed Forces are working to support the evacuation of Mathias Colomb Cree Nation (also known as Pukatawagan) but conditions are very smoky,' the Manitoba government said in a written update. 'Evacuation efforts are continuing with multiple agencies participating in the response. Additionally, efforts are underway to support the evacuation of Pimicikamak Cree Nation and Cross Lake.' Faced with what it called 'rapidly spreading wildfires and extreme fire conditions,' the province remained under a state of emergency, with persistent hot and dry conditions expected through the weekend. A bevy of burn and travel restrictions also remain in effect, the Manitoba government said. A gas station operator in Candle Lake, Sask., said there has been a steady stream of people filling up vehicles over the past few days. The area has been put under a 'pre-evacuation' notice, he said. While some filling vehicles are just doing so to be prepared, others have already decided to leave. He said he spoke with one woman who was leaving because she had a small child and was concerned about the health effects of the heavy smoke. The operator said many people have already been hauling their ATVs and boats away from the area. — Brandon Harder, Regina Leader-Post Wildfires in Alberta are threatening almost half a million barrels of daily crude production as heat and wind push the flames closer to massive oilsands well sites. More than 30 out-of-control fires are burning in the province amid hot, dry weather, bringing flames within 20 kilometres of about 458,000 barrels of daily oil production, according to data from Alberta's energy regulator and wildfire department. The province had only four out-of-control fires on Monday. An expanding fire near Alberta's border with Saskatchewan is the biggest threat to oil output. MEG Energy Corp.'s Christina Lake oilsands facility, which pumped 93,000 barrels a day in April, is within about four kilometres of the blaze. MEG said in an email that it has evacuated non-essential workers from the site but hasn't curtailed production. Part of Canadian Natural Resources Ltd.'s Jackfish oilsands site, which produced almost 38,000 barrels a day in April, is within about three kilometres of an expanding fire near Cold Lake, in the heart of the Canadian oilsands, according to Alberta Energy Regulator and Alberta Wildfire data. Other parts of Jackfish that produced a combined 83,000 barrels a day are within about 10 kilometers. CNRL didn't immediately respond to an email seeking comment. Canada, the world's fourth-largest crude producer, has long seen its energy output threatened by wildfires that rage through the dense forests of northern Alberta in spring and summer. In 2016, a blaze shut down the massive oilsands mines just north of Fort McMurray, taking more than 1 million barrels of daily production offline. — Bloomberg News A wildfire near Kelly Lake, British Columbia, 15 kilometres west of the Alberta border, has forced an evacuation alert for the County of Grande Prairie. The County announced on May 30 at 10:12 a.m. that there was no significant overnight growth of the out-of-control wildfire burning approximately 7.5 kilometres from the British Columbia-Alberta border. The evacuation alert is to remain in place, they added. Fire crews in Chipewyan Lake have been rescued after temporarily losing radio contact Thursday evening. Emergency Management for the area shared to social media that while aircraft was unable to land due to smoky conditions, the road was determined safe and crews were able to drive in and rescue the stranded structure protection crews. A 20-man forestry crew assisted with fallen trees on the road. Alberta Minister of Forestry and Parks shared an update shortly before midnight saying the crews lost radio contact around 8 p.m. and were sheltering in a fire station and a school awaiting rescue. He said extraction efforts were being hindered by heavy smoke in the area. The minister also shared that structures in the area were damaged, though the full extent of the damage is unknown. A full assessment will be completed once safety clearance is received. The area is under siege by the Red Earth East Complex, made up of several wildfires near the community. As of Friday, the province listed seven wildfires of note, up three from Thursday morning numbers — the Edith Lake wildfire, Red Earth East Complex (made up of a number of wildfires near the community of Chipewyan Lake), a wildfire south of Winefred Lake, a wildfire west of Mercoal, a wildfire east of Peerless Trout First Nation, a wildfire near Whitefish Lake First Nation only 5 kilometres from a nearby highway and a wildfire near Marten Beach. The fire near Marten Beach has crossed the Highway 88 and the roadway has been closed at Highway 754 north of Slave Lake. Firefighters, helicopters and heavy equipment are deployed at all fires of note, with airtankers using retardant drops to build containment lines and some crews using night vision-equipped helicopters to contain fires overnight. Residents of Westlock County and the Loon Lake, Peerless Trout and Dene Tha First Nations were fleeing wildfires after evacuation orders were issued Thursday, as were inhabitants of Red Earth Creek. Underlining the gravity of the situation at Red Earth Creek, Alberta Wildfire officials warned the evacuation route to Peace River on Highway 88 was being menaced by flames 'and the status could change at any moment . . . you may experience smoky conditions on the Highway to Peace River.' Conklin was put on alert for possible evacuation Thursday afternoon, with an out-of-control blaze spreading toward the community. Meanwhile, the Whitefish River Community was also on evacuation notice, due to concern over shifting winds that might cause a nearby wildfire change direction and put residents at risk. About 1,300 residents of Swan Hills evacuated earlier this week to nearby Whitecourt in the face of fires that also disrupted oilfield operations. Other Alberta communities, including the Village of Boyle and Thorhild County, issued local state of emergencies in May as a result of fast-moving and out-of-control fires. Alberta Emergency Alert regularly updates its website and X account with ongoing evacuation orders and fire alerts. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe has declared a provincial state of emergency in response to several rapidly spreading wildfires that have forced thousands of people to evacuate their northern communities. Moe made the announcement Thursday to begin a wildfire update from the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA). 'It's a very serious situation that we're faced with …,' Moe told the media. 'There are no resources on the shelf. They're all being deployed to support Saskatchewan.' Following a similar announcement by Manitoba on Wednesday, Saskatchewan became the second province in as many days to declare a state of emergency. As of Thursday, more than 8,300 people from northern Saskatchewan were under evacuation. In Manitoba, that number is 17,000 people — the largest wildfire evacuation in recent memory, according to Premier Wab Kinew. B.C. has sent crews and resources to both prairie provinces, as well as Ontario, to assist in fire-fighting efforts, according to the province's Minister of Forests. Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management, Community Resilience and Minister responsible for PrairiesCan, has approved Manitoba's request for federal assistance and said crews will assisting with urgent air evacs as well as any other supports needed. Additionally, Olszewski will be meeting with Tim McLeod, Saskatchewan's Minister of Public Safety, to discuss the response to Saskatchewan's fire situation. — Files from Larissa Kurz With below-normal snowpacks during the winter and predicted summer-time drought conditions hitting various parts of Canada, the wildfire season could be a difficult one. Already, Manitoba and Saskatchewan have declared states of emergency to help protect people from raging flames and significant evacuations of northern communities in both provinces have seen thousands of people forced to flee their homes. 'This is the largest evacuation in many Manitobans' living memory and this will require significant resources and co-operation from all levels of government,' says Manitoba premier Wab Kinew. Already, two people have died in wildfires in that province. In Alberta, evacuation orders are also increasing in the northern part of the province as out-of-control fires rage. The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) has already placed Canada at its highest level — 5 — on the National Preparedness Levels chart. 'Wildland fire activity is significant within one or more jurisdictions,' CIFFC says. 'Firefighters and equipment in every jurisdiction is put to use, and international help has been requested.' In Alberta, go to That's where you'll find a wildfire map, dashboard of incidents and forest area updates. In British Columbia, the daily wildfire update is at In Saskatchewan, the active wildifre situation map can be found here and reports on bans along with fire bulletins are here. In Manitoba, wildfire information, reports and updates are here. Turned over: Alberta Wildfire says a wildfire is 'turned over' when a fire that is under control is given to another agency to extinguish it. Mutual aid: If a fire is a 'mutual aid wildfire,' it's a wildfire that has started in a municipal district and that district's firefighters may need help fighting it from Alberta Wildfire. Under control: If firefighters and equipment have successfully managed a fire to make sure it won't grow, it's classified as being 'under control.' Being held: Based on expected weather and the resources already fighting a particular fire, a fire that is 'being held' means it's not expected to spread. Out of control: A wildfire is growing, or expected to grow, and thus its status is one of being out of control. Source: Government of Alberta The number of wildfires caused by humans vs. lightning strikes has varied over the years, but Natural Resources Canada reports that in 2023 lightning caused about 50 per cent of all fires. Those fires, however, represented, about 85 per cent of the annual area consumed by flames. When it comes to human-caused fires, wildfire experts provide some straightforward advice. Start by being familiar with campfire safety. Use designated fire pits and don't start a fire near an abundance of nearby potential fuel. Keep the fire sheltered from the wind; keep water nearby in case of emergency; and, ensure all fires are extinguished each night. If you're in a rural area, ensure you know how to safely burn vegetation or brush or understand how to use burn barrels. Rules for everyone? Don't flick smoking materials onto the ground or out a vehicle's window. Obey all fire bans. Avoid use of explosive materials like fireworks. If you live in a forested area, ensure you are familiar with the FireSmart guidelines to protect your house, neighbourhood or community. They offer a myriad of tips that can help save properties and lives. Additionally, experts suggest all levels of government need to work together to share effective strategies, reduce fuel loads and manage forests responsibly. It could all go up in flames: Why Banff and Bow Valley face mounting wildfire peril The Summer Canada Burned: The wildfire season that shocked the world 'How could a whole town burn?' The most tragic wildfires to scorch the Prairies — With files from Devika Desai and Ari Yanover
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More white South Africans arrive in the US under a new refugee program
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31 Palestinians are killed heading to a Gaza aid site, witnesses say. Israel denies responsibility
RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — At least 31 people were killed and over 170 were wounded Sunday as large crowds were on their way to receive food in the Gaza Strip, health officials and witnesses said. Witnesses said Israeli forces fired toward the crowds just before dawn around a kilometer (about 1,100 yards) from an aid site run by an Israeli-backed foundation. Israel's military denied its forces fired at civilians near or within the site in the southern city of Rafah. An Israeli military official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with procedure, said troops fired warning shots at several suspects advancing toward them overnight. The military also released drone footage it said was shot Sunday, apparently in daylight, in the southern city of Khan Younis, showing what it said were armed, masked men firing at civilians trying to collect aid. The Associated Press could not independently verify the video, and it was not clear who was being targeted. 'Hamas is doing everything in its power to prevent the successful distribution of food in Gaza," the statement said. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation — promoted by Israel and the United States — said in a statement it delivered aid 'without incident,' and released a separate video it said was shot Sunday at the site that appeared to show people collecting aid. The AP was not able to verify the video. The foundation has denied previous accounts of chaos and gunfire around its sites, which are in Israeli military zones where independent media has no access. It was the deadliest incident yet around the new aid distribution system, which has operated for less than a week. The International Committee of the Red Cross said in a statement its field hospital in Rafah received 179 casualties including women and children, 21 of them declared dead upon arrival, the majority with gunshot or shrapnel wounds. It was unclear if any of the dead were militants. 'All patients said they had been trying to reach an aid distribution site,' the ICRC said, calling it the highest number of 'weapon-wounded' people in a single incident since the hospital was set up over a year ago. The head of the World Food Program, Cindy McCain, told ABC News that staffers on the ground were reporting people killed and called it a 'tragedy.' 'Aid distribution has become a death trap,' the head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, said in a statement. In a separate statement, Israeli military chief of staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir ordered that more aid sites be established — and that troops' ground operation be expanded in unspecified parts of northern and southern Gaza. A new aid system marred by chaos Multiple witnesses have said Israeli troops fired on crowds near the foundation's sites. Before Sunday, 17 people were killed while trying to reach them, according to Zaher al-Waheidi, head of the Gaza Health Ministry's records department. The foundation says private security contractors guarding its sites have not fired on crowds. Israel's military has acknowledged firing warning shots on previous occasions. The foundation said in a statement it distributed 16 truckloads of aid early Sunday 'without incident,' and dismissed what it described as 'false reporting about deaths, mass injuries and chaos.' U.N. agencies and major aid groups have refused to work with the new system, saying it violates humanitarian principles. 'The scene was horrible' Thousands of people headed toward the distribution site hours before dawn. As they approached, Israeli forces ordered them to disperse and come back later, witnesses said. When the crowds reached the Flag Roundabout, around 1 kilometer away, at around 3 a.m., Israeli forces opened fire, the witnesses said. 'There was fire from all directions, from naval warships, from tanks and drones,' said Amr Abu Teiba, who was in the crowd. He said he saw at least 10 bodies with gunshot wounds and several other wounded people, including women. People used carts to ferry the dead and wounded. 'The scene was horrible," he said. Most people were shot 'in the upper part of their bodies, including the head, neck and chest," said Dr. Marwan al-Hams, a Health Ministry official at Nasser Hospital, where many were transferred from the Red Cross field hospital. A colleague, surgeon Khaled al-Ser, said 150 wounded people had arrived, along with 28 bodies. The hospital corridors were filled with patients, "but unlike what I have witnessed before, where most of the patients were women and children, today it was mainly men,' a spokesperson with medical charity MSF, Nour Alsaqa, said in a statement. Ibrahim Abu Saoud, another witness, said the military fired from about 300 meters (yards) away. He said he saw many people with gunshot wounds, including a young man who died at the scene. 'We weren't able to help him,' he said. Mohammed Abu Teaima, 33, said he saw Israeli forces open fire and kill his cousin and a woman as they headed toward the distribution site. He said his cousin was shot in his chest, and his brother-in-law was among the wounded. 'They opened heavy fire directly toward us,' he said. An AP reporter arrived at the field hospital at around 6 a.m. and saw dozens of wounded, including women and children. The reporter also saw crowds of people returning from the distribution point. Some carried boxes of aid but most appeared to be empty-handed. Gaza's Health Ministry said least 31 people were killed and over 170 were wounded. 'This is sinful, enough with the humiliation. They humiliated us for the sake of food,' said Ilham Jarghon as fellow Palestinians wept and prayed for the dead. Later Sunday, Israeli artillery shells struck tents sheltering displaced people in Khan Younis, killing three and wounding at least 30, according to Nasser Hospital. Israel's military said it was looking into it. The UN says new aid system violates humanitarian principles Israel and the U.S. say the new system is aimed at preventing Hamas from siphoning off assistance. Israel has not provided evidence of systematic diversion, and the U.N. denies it has occurred. U.N. agencies and major aid groups say the new system allows Israel to control who receives aid and forces people to relocate to distribution sites, risking yet more mass displacement in the coastal territory. 'It's essentially engineered scarcity," Jonathan Whittall, interim head in Gaza of the U.N. humanitarian office, said last week. The U.N. system has struggled to bring in aid after Israel slightly eased its nearly three-month blockade of the territory last month. The groups say Israeli restrictions, the breakdown of law and order and widespread looting make it extremely difficult to deliver aid to Gaza's roughly 2 million Palestinians. Experts have warned that the territory is at risk of famine if more aid is not brought in. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. They are still holding 58 hostages, around a third believed to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Israel's military campaign has killed over 54,000 people in Hamas-run Gaza, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were civilians or combatants. The offensive has destroyed vast areas, displaced around 90% of the population and left people almost completely reliant on international aid. The latest efforts at ceasefire talks appeared to stumble Saturday when Hamas said it had sought amendments to a U.S. ceasefire proposal that Israel had approved, and the U.S. envoy called that 'unacceptable.' Mediators Qatar and Egypt in a joint statement Sunday said they continued 'intensive efforts to bridge the gaps in viewpoints' and hoped for 'a swift agreement for a temporary ceasefire lasting 60 days, leading to a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.' ___ Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writer Tia Goldenberg in Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed to this report. ___ Follow AP's war coverage at Mohammad Jahjouh And Samy Magdy, The Associated Press
