31 dead in Israeli gunfire near aid site
Palestinian rescuers arrive in an ambulance to evacuate injured people after an Israeli drone opened fire on civilian gatherings near an aid distribution point in the central Gaza Strip. PHOTO: AFP
Gaza's civil defence agency said Israeli gunfire killed at least 31 Palestinians near a US-backed aid distribution site on Sunday.
Israel has faced growing condemnation over the humanitarian crisis in the war-ravaged Gaza Strip, where the United Nations has warned the entire population faces the risk of famine after no aid was allowed to enter for more than two months.
Israel recently eased its blockade and introduced a revamped aid mechanism in cooperation with a newly formed US-backed organisation, bypassing the longstanding UN-led system.
The organisation, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), says it has distributed millions of meals since operations began last week, but the rollout has been marked by chaotic scenes at the limited number of distribution centres, as well as reports of casualties from Israeli fire nearby.
Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP that "31 people were killed and more than 176 injured... after Israeli gunfire targeted thousands of civilians near the American aid centre in Rafah", in southern Gaza.
AFP images showed Palestinians transporting bodies on donkey carts near the aid point as others carried away boxes and bags of supplies under the early-morning sun.
Abdullah Barbakh, a 58-year-old Palestinian man, described "chaos" at the site.
"The army opened fire from drones and tanks," he said. "I don't understand why they call people to the aid centres and then open fire on them."
Near another GHF aid centre in central Gaza, AFP images showed rescuers evacuating injured people. Bassal reported one dead and dozens wounded there, again blaming Israeli fire.
Sameh Hamuda, a displaced 33-year-old from northern Gaza, told AFP he had walked from Gaza City and spent the night with relatives near Rafah before heading to the aid centre around 5:00 am to wait among a crowd of people.
"Suddenly quadcopter drones opened fire on the people, and tanks started shooting heavily. Several people were killed right in front of me," he said.
"I ran and survived. Death follows you as long as you're in Gaza."
At Al-Awda hospital in central Gaza, Umm Muhammad Abu Khousa told AFP her son was among those wounded near the other aid centre in Bureij.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
an hour ago
- Express Tribune
Saudi Arabia bars 269,000 from Makkah over Hajj permit violations to prevent overcrowding
Medical team members evacuate a Muslim pilgrim, affected by the scorching heat, at the base of Mount Arafat, also known as Jabal al-Rahma or Mount of Mercy, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage on June 15, 2024. PHOTO: AFP Listen to article Saudi authorities have barred over 269,000 individuals from entering Mecca without the required permits ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, officials announced on Sunday. The move is part of tightened efforts to manage crowds and prevent repeat tragedies linked to unauthorised pilgrims. Authorities say permit violations have historically contributed to overcrowding, often leading to fatalities. Last year, over 1,300 pilgrims died, many of them unregistered, as temperatures soared to a record 51.8°C. As Hajj officially begins this week, the Saudi Ministry of Health reported it has already treated 44 cases of heatstroke, with 1.4 million pilgrims having arrived in the kingdom so far. Although extreme temperatures are not forecast to reach last year's peak, they are expected to exceed 40°C during the pilgrimage. Deputy Health Minister Abdullah Asiri told AFP that officials were preparing for the "worst-case scenario." 'The focus is on heat-related illnesses because the Hajj coincides with extreme temperatures,' he said. In anticipation of potential health emergencies, the ministry has mobilised 50,000 medical and administrative personnel and allocated over 700 hospital beds equipped with ventilators for critical cases. Hajj is one of Islam's five pillars and is a religious obligation for all Muslims who are physically and financially capable. The pilgrimage this year coincides with Eid al-Adha, which will be observed on 6 June. The holiday commemorates the Quranic account of Prophet Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail in obedience to God's command. As Saudi Arabia enforces stricter regulations and boosts health infrastructure, officials are urging pilgrims to comply with safety measures to ensure a secure and spiritually fulfilling Hajj.
Business Recorder
an hour ago
- Business Recorder
Israel army confirms shot Palestinian teen in West Bank
RAMALLAH: Israel's military confirmed on Tuesday it had 'neutralised' a Palestinian who threw rocks in the occupied West Bank, where authorities said the slain victim was 14 years old. In a statement on Monday, the Palestinian Authority announced 'the martyrdom of 14-year-old boy Yousef Fouad Faqha, who was shot by Israeli forces in the town of Sinjil' in the central West Bank. A statement from the local municipality also said Faqha died after being shot by Israeli forces. Asked about the incident, the Israeli military told AFP on Tuesday that during an operation around Sinjil a day earlier, its forces had 'identified a terrorist who had hurled rocks toward a transportation route and thrown two bottles containing hazardous material toward the forces'. 'Immediately after identifying the threat, the forces opened fire and neutralised the terrorist,' it added. Israel army says intercepts Yemen missile after air raid sirens sound The military later confirmed to AFP that the target was Faqha. Sources close to the family said that Israeli authorities were still holding onto the body. In a similar incident in April, a teenager who held US citizenship was shot dead in the West Bank town of Turmus Ayya, with the Israeli military saying it had killed a 'terrorist' who threw rocks at cars. Sinjil and Turmus Ayya are located next to each other on either side of a main road running through the West Bank. The Israeli military has recently surrounded Sinjil with a large metal fence that cuts the town off from the road. Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967, and violence there has soared since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023. The West Bank is home to about three million Palestinians, but also some 500,000 Israelis living in settlements that are illegal under international law. Israeli troops or settlers have killed at least 938 Palestinians – many of them but also scores of civilians – in the West Bank since the start of the Gaza war, according to Palestinian health ministry figures. At least 35 Israelis, including both soldiers and civilians, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military operations, according to official Israeli figures.
Business Recorder
5 hours ago
- Business Recorder
UN sees ‘alarming' surge in Afghan families deported from Iran
KABUL: The UN on Tuesday voiced concern over a surge in Afghan families deported from Iran, recording a more than two-fold increase in May from the previous month, as the rise in returnees squeeze's Afghanistan's resources. Afghanistan's border points with Iran regularly see a steady stream of Afghans returning forcibly or voluntarily after crossing into the neighbouring country, often seeking work. But in May, there was 'sharp rise in the forced return of Afghan nationals' from Iran, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a statement. 'Particularly alarming is a significant surge in the number of families being deported – a new and concerning trend, as returnees deported in previous months were predominantly single young men,' it added. The IOM said 15,675 Afghan families had crossed the border from Iran in May compared to 6,879 in April. Islamabad says more than 100,000 Afghans left Pakistan in April The number of Afghan families without legal documentation in Iran returning to Afghanistan last month was three times higher than in May last year, it added. According to the IOM, Iranian officials issued a public statement in late May ordering Afghans without documentation to remain in Iran to leave by July 6, 'potentially affecting up to 4 million people'. Already since January this year, more than 450,000 Afghans have returned from Iran, the IOM said. Iran, which shares a 900-kilometre (560-mile) border with Afghanistan, hosts one of the largest refugee populations in the world, including millions of Afghans who arrived over the past 40 years after fleeing conflict. The spike in returns comes as Afghans have also been pressured to leave Pakistan in droves, with a campaign by Islamabad expelling more than 180,000 Afghans since April. The influx across both borders threatens to strain Afghanistan's already 'fragile reception and reintegration systems', according to the IOM, in a country still recovering from decades of conflict. More than one million Afghans have returned from Pakistan since late 2023, when Islamabad launched the first phase of a plan to remove Afghans amid tensions with the Taliban authorities who swept to power in 2021, particularly over security concerns. Many Afghans had lived in Pakistan for decades after fleeing successive wars and crises. The Taliban authorities – still unrecognised by any other country – have consistently called for Afghans to be allowed a 'dignified' return to Afghanistan. The IOM on Tuesday again called for 'all countries to immediately suspend the forced return of Afghans, regardless of their immigration status, until safe, voluntary, and dignified return conditions are in place'.
