73 Palestinians killed while waiting for humanitarian aid across Gaza, health ministry says
The Israeli military said that soldiers had shot at a gathering of thousands of Palestinians in northern Gaza who posed a threat, and that it was aware of some casualties. But it said that the numbers being reported by teams in Gaza were far higher than the military's initial investigation found.
The military added that it is attempting to facilitate the entry of aid, and blamed Hamas militants for fomenting chaos and endangering civilians.
The largest toll, according to the Gaza ministry, was in the northern part of the territory, where at least 67 Palestinians were killed while trying to reach aid entering northern Gaza through the Zikim crossing with Israel, according to the ministry and local hospitals.
More than 150 people were wounded, with some of them in critical condition, hospitals said. Seven Palestinians were also killed while sheltering in tents in Khan Younis, including a 5-year-old boy, according to the Kuwait Specialized Field Hospital, which received the casualties.
It wasn't immediately clear whether they were killed by the Israeli army or armed gangs or both. But some witnesses said that the Israeli military shot at the crowd.
The killings in northern Gaza didn't take place near aid distribution points associated with the Gaza Humanitarian Fund, or GHF, a US- and Israel-backed group that hands out food packages to Palestinians. Witnesses and health workers say hundreds of people have been killed by Israeli fire while trying to access the group's distribution sites.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military published new evacuation warnings for areas of central Gaza on Sunday, in one of the few areas where the military has rarely operated with ground troops.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
West Australian
an hour ago
- West Australian
Australia condemns Israel's 'inhumane killing' in Gaza
Australia has decried Israel's "drip feeding of aid and inhumane killing" of civilians in Gaza as pro-Palestine protesters rally in the nation's capital on the first day of parliament. A joint statement signed by Foreign Minister Penny Wong and more than 20 of her global counterparts - barring the US - calls for an immediate end to Israel's violence in the strip and condemns the denial of humanitarian assistance to starving Palestinians. It also calls for the Israeli government to immediately lift restrictions on aid to allow humanitarian groups to do their work. "The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths," the joint statement said. "We condemn the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food. "Israel must comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law." The amount of food allowed into Gaza is just a fraction of what's required to adequately nourish the population. Israel's control over aid has left more than 500,000 people starving, according to the United Nations World Food Programme. "Gaza's hunger crisis has reached new levels of desperation," it posted on X. In recent months, more than 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid - including those shot by the Israeli military - according to the country signatories of the joint statement. On Sunday Israel killed at least 67 Palestinians in northern Gaza while they were waiting for UN aid trucks. The joint statement comes as pro-Palestine supporters rally in Australia's capital on Tuesday for the first sitting day of parliament since the May federal election. The group will call on the government to sanction Israel and "end its support and complicity in genocide". Inside Parliament House, Greens Senator David Shoebridge will table a petition signed by more than 2500 Australian healthcare workers calling on the government to take action and end Israel's violence, blockade and weaponisation of aid in Gaza. "Every signature on this letter is a voice refusing to be silent in the face of this genocide," petition organiser and pharmacist Yossra Abouelfadl said. "We cannot stand by while our colleagues in Gaza are killed, hospitals are targeted and patients are denied basic medical care. "Enough words, enough statements, it's time for action." The violence erupted after the designated terrorist group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing more than 1200 people and taking 251 hostages. The Israeli government's blockade and military offensive has killed more than 58,000 Palestinians and displaced more than 737,000 between March and July, according to Gazan health authorities. Opposition frontbencher Jonathon Duniam said Israel had a "right to self defence" and said Australia signing the joint statement was not the right approach. "There is more to this issue than this letter portrays and I think it is a sad turn of events for our government to have joined with other countries in signing this letter," he told Sky News. "It's unacceptable that a conflict continues, but again, this conflict probably would come to an end if Hamas released the hostages." While some of the hostages have been released, others have died and about 50 are believed to still be in captivity - although Israel believes about half of those are dead. Israel has rejected the joint statement and claimed it is "disconnected from reality". "The statement fails to focus the pressure on Hamas and fails to recognise Hamas's role and responsibility for the situation," Israel foreign affairs spokesperson Oren Marmorstein said in a statement. The statement also condemns the continued detention of hostages and notes that a negotiated ceasefire "offers the best hope of bringing them home".
Perth Now
an hour ago
- Perth Now
Australia condemns Israel's 'inhumane killing' in Gaza
Australia has decried Israel's "drip feeding of aid and inhumane killing" of civilians in Gaza as pro-Palestine protesters rally in the nation's capital on the first day of parliament. A joint statement signed by Foreign Minister Penny Wong and more than 20 of her global counterparts - barring the US - calls for an immediate end to Israel's violence in the strip and condemns the denial of humanitarian assistance to starving Palestinians. It also calls for the Israeli government to immediately lift restrictions on aid to allow humanitarian groups to do their work. "The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths," the joint statement said. "We condemn the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food. "Israel must comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law." The amount of food allowed into Gaza is just a fraction of what's required to adequately nourish the population. Israel's control over aid has left more than 500,000 people starving, according to the United Nations World Food Programme. "Gaza's hunger crisis has reached new levels of desperation," it posted on X. In recent months, more than 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid - including those shot by the Israeli military - according to the country signatories of the joint statement. On Sunday Israel killed at least 67 Palestinians in northern Gaza while they were waiting for UN aid trucks. The joint statement comes as pro-Palestine supporters rally in Australia's capital on Tuesday for the first sitting day of parliament since the May federal election. The group will call on the government to sanction Israel and "end its support and complicity in genocide". Inside Parliament House, Greens Senator David Shoebridge will table a petition signed by more than 2500 Australian healthcare workers calling on the government to take action and end Israel's violence, blockade and weaponisation of aid in Gaza. "Every signature on this letter is a voice refusing to be silent in the face of this genocide," petition organiser and pharmacist Yossra Abouelfadl said. "We cannot stand by while our colleagues in Gaza are killed, hospitals are targeted and patients are denied basic medical care. "Enough words, enough statements, it's time for action." The violence erupted after the designated terrorist group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing more than 1200 people and taking 251 hostages. The Israeli government's blockade and military offensive has killed more than 58,000 Palestinians and displaced more than 737,000 between March and July, according to Gazan health authorities. Opposition frontbencher Jonathon Duniam said Israel had a "right to self defence" and said Australia signing the joint statement was not the right approach. "There is more to this issue than this letter portrays and I think it is a sad turn of events for our government to have joined with other countries in signing this letter," he told Sky News. "It's unacceptable that a conflict continues, but again, this conflict probably would come to an end if Hamas released the hostages." While some of the hostages have been released, others have died and about 50 are believed to still be in captivity - although Israel believes about half of those are dead. Israel has rejected the joint statement and claimed it is "disconnected from reality". "The statement fails to focus the pressure on Hamas and fails to recognise Hamas's role and responsibility for the situation," Israel foreign affairs spokesperson Oren Marmorstein said in a statement. The statement also condemns the continued detention of hostages and notes that a negotiated ceasefire "offers the best hope of bringing them home".
The Age
6 hours ago
- The Age
Australia and allies condemn Israel over ‘inhumane' Gaza aid deaths
Australia has joined 24 other nations to condemn Israel over the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians seeking aid, calling on it to lift restrictions to food and medical supplies, while urging an immediate end to the conflict. Signed by Foreign Minister Penny Wong and her counterparts from the UK, France, and Canada, the joint statement published late Monday accused Israel of an 'unacceptable' denial of humanitarian aid and warned they were prepared to take action to help bring about a ceasefire. 'The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths. The Israeli government's aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity,' the statement said. 'We condemn the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic need of water and food. It is horrifying that over 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid.' The 25 countries are demanding Israel urgently boost the flow of aid and enable the UN and charities 'to do their life-saving work safely and effectively' after 85 Palestinians were killed trying to access food in various locations, according to the territory's health ministry. After the breakdown of the initial January ceasefire, Israel imposed a humanitarian blockade on the strip in March before overhauling the delivery of aid. The international community has criticised the replacement of established NGOs with the US and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. According to the UN Human Rights Council figures published last week, almost 900 people were killed in Gaza while trying to get food; '674 of them were killed in the vicinity of GHF sites.' Earlier on Monday Israeli tanks pushed into southern and eastern districts of the Gazan city of Deir al-Balah, an area of Gaza which had been largely untouched by the conflict and where tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians had sought refuge. The incursion has led to speculation that Hamas is holding large numbers of hostages there.
