
UN food agency says Israeli tanks and snipers opened fire on a crowd seeking aid in Gaza
The World Food Program in a statement Sunday condemned the violence that erupted in northern Gaza as Palestinians tried to reach a convoy of trucks carrying food. The Health Ministry in Gaza said at least 80 people were killed in the incident. The Israeli military has said it fired warning shots 'to remove an immediate threat,' but has questioned the death toll reported by the Palestinians.
The accusation by a major aid agency that has had generally good working relations with Israel builds on descriptions by witnesses and others, who also said Israel opened fire on the crowd.
The bloodshed surrounding aid access highlights the increasingly precarious situation for people in Gaza who have been desperately seeking out food and other assistance, as the war that has roiled the region shows no signs of ending. Israel and Hamas are still engaged in ceasefire talks, but there appears to be no breakthrough and it's not clear whether any truce would bring the war to a lasting halt.
As the talks proceed, the death toll in the war-ravaged territory has climbed to more than 58,800 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Its count doesn't distinguish between militants and civilians but the ministry says more than half of the dead are women and children. The ministry is part of the Hamas government, but the U.N. and other international organizations see it as the most reliable source of data on casualties.
Israel has meanwhile widened its evacuation orders for the territory to include an area that has been somewhat less hard-hit than others, indicating a new battleground may be opening up and squeezing Palestinians into ever tinier stretches of Gaza.
WFP condemns violence at food distribution points
In northern Gaza on Sunday, the Health Ministry, witnesses and a U.N. official said Israeli forces opened fire toward crowds who tried to get food from a 25-truck convoy that had entered the hard-hit area.
The WFP statement, which said the crowd surrounding its convoy 'came under fire from Israeli tanks, snipers and other gunfire,' backs up those claims. The statement did not specify a death toll, saying only the incident resulted in the loss of 'countless lives.'
'These people were simply trying to access food to feed themselves and their families on the brink of starvation,' it said, adding that the incident occurred despite assurances from Israeli authorities that aid delivery would improve. 'Shootings near humanitarian missions, convoys and food distributions must stop immediately.'
Sunday's incident comes as Palestinian access to aid in the territory has been greatly diminished, and seeking that aid has become perilous. A U.S.- and Israeli-backed aid system that has wrested some aid delivery from traditional providers like the U.N. has been wracked by violence and chaos as Palestinians heading toward its aid distribution sides have come under fire. The group, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, had said that the majority of the reported violence has not occurred at its sites.
The Israeli military had no immediate comment on the WFP's claims. Israel has not allowed international media to enter Gaza throughout the war, and the competing claims could not be independently verified.
Violence rages on in Gaza
Gaza health officials said Monday at least 13 people, including two women and five children, were killed in Israeli strikes since the previous night.
At least two people were killed Monday morning when crowds of Palestinians waiting for aid trucks were shot at in the area of Netzarim corridor in central Gaza, according to Dr. Mohamed Abu Selmiyah, director of Shifa Hospital in Gaza city where the dead were taken. He said Israeli forces had opened fire.
An Israeli strike overnight hit a tent in the Muwasi area of Khan Younis, killing at least five people, according to the Health Ministry. The dead include two parents, two of their children and a relative, it said.
Other strikes hit tents in the Muwasi area of Khan Younis and a residential building in Gaza City, according to health officials.
The Israeli military said it was looking into the various strikes. It blames Hamas for civilian casualties because the group operates from populated areas.
Hamas triggered the war when militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 others hostage. Fifty remain in Gaza, but fewer than half are thought to be alive.
Israel again struck rebels in Yemen
The fighting in Gaza has triggered conflicts elsewhere in region, including between Israel and the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, who have fired missiles and drones at Israel in what they say is in solidarity with Palestinians.
The Israeli military said it struck the Hodeidah port in Yemen on Monday morning, saying that the Houthis were rebuilding the port infrastructure. Israel said the Houthis used the port to receive weapons from Iran and launch missiles towards Israel. The Israeli military said it targeted the parts of the port used by the Houthis and accused the Houthis of using civilian infrastructure for militant purposes.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that the targets included areas of the port that Israel had destroyed in previous strikes. 'The Houthis will pay heavy prices for launching missiles towards the state of Israel,' Katz said. Israel last struck Hodeidah port two weeks ago.
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Magdy reported from Cairo and Lidman from Jerusalem.
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The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
The Gaza students with scholarships to UK unable to take up their places
Time is running out for 40 students in Gaza who have been awarded full scholarships to study at some of the UK's leading universities this September, but have been unable to fulfil visa requirements due to the war. Campaigners have called on the British government to intervene to ensure their safe passage. Here are some of the students' stories. Abdallah, 27, has been awarded a Chevening scholarship, part of a UK government-funded global scholarship programme, and has a place to study for an MSc in data science and artificial intelligence (AI) at Queen Mary University of London. 'Just two weeks after earning my medical licence in 2023, the war broke out. I chose not to flee. Instead, I volunteered in local hospitals, treating the wounded while my own family suffered nearby. 'I soon realised that bandages and medicine cannot heal a nation so deeply traumatised. We need more than emergency care – we need innovation. That is why I applied to study data science and AI in the UK. 'I am driven by desperation and hope. Gaza is facing an unprecedented mental health catastrophe. Nearly every child and adult has been exposed to intense trauma, displacement or loss. Yet Gaza's mental health infrastructure has been completely shattered. 'To fight a crisis this massive, I need world-class training. Once I complete my degree, I will return to Gaza to lead the creation of data-driven health systems that prioritise mental wellbeing.' Israa, 31, is a Palestinian doctor who has been awarded a Medical Research Council doctoral training partnership to do a PhD in sexual and reproductive health at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, where she previously completed a master's in international public health. She said: '[Studying in the UK was] a transformative experience that gave me a global perspective and strengthened my resolve to serve the most vulnerable people. I returned to Gaza by choice to serve, to heal and to uplift. A few months later, the brutal war started. 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Majd, 24, a mechanical engineer from Gaza, has a full scholarship to pursue a master's degree in advanced manufacturing systems and technology at the University of Liverpool. He said: 'Life during the war has been extremely difficult. I've been displaced, with no stable electricity, internet or basic services. Every day is full of uncertainty and worry. 'Most industrial facilities in Gaza have been destroyed, which means there's almost no equipment or resources left to work with. The lack of electricity, fuel and basic infrastructure has made it nearly impossible to continue any kind of engineering work. 'The UK offers world-class education with excellent research and teaching. Studying there will give me access to resources that will improve my knowledge in advanced technologies. This international experience is vital for me to develop the skills needed to contribute meaningfully to Gaza's future reconstruction. 'I want to use what I learn to create job opportunities, empower youth and help rebuild infrastructure that supports long-term stability and growth in Gaza after the war. 'I fully understand that the UK has visa systems in place for important reasons, and we are not asking for special treatment. However, this is an extraordinary situation. We ask for consideration and support to enable us to continue our studies as education will be key to rebuilding Gaza.' Abeer, 28, has a place to study for an MA in data and health science at the University of St Andrews. 'After our home was destroyed in the winter of 2023 we moved into an Unrwa school. After three days there the school was heavily shelled. 'The bombing was violent and horrific. My brother Mohamed was badly injured, his feet caught underneath the falling rubble. He could not walk or move. We had to carry him south to Khan Younis, where we lived in a tent. 'It was here that we lost Mohamed. He never recovered from the injury at the Unrwa school. His loss caused our whole family to collapse. I felt my heart had stopped pumping. I lost my will to live, life lost its meaning. 'It was not long after that my older brother reached out, and reminded me that I had wanted to apply for a scholarship at St Andrews. 'Hardship should not stop you,' he told me. 'This is what you wanted before, you must persist.' 'Coming from Gaza I have seen the need for better healthcare solutions, and this programme and its modules offer the knowledge I need to make a real impact on healthcare.' Samah, 25, a medical laboratory specialist at al-Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza, has been accepted to study for an MSc in genomic medicine at the University of Oxford. She did not wish to share any photos of herself. 'From the first day of the ongoing war in Gaza, I have been on the frontline, working under extremely difficult and life-threatening conditions. Our hospital, like many others, faced mass casualties on a daily basis. We lost most of our laboratory equipment due to targeted attacks and destruction, yet we continued to serve patients. 'As the war progressed, I witnessed families resorting to burning hazardous materials just to cook food for their children. This prolonged exposure to potentially carcinogenic agents made me realise the urgent need to understand the long-term biological and genetic impacts of such conditions. 'Motivated by this experience, I decided to pursue advanced study in the field of medical genetics and cancer research. 'This opportunity is not just an academic pursuit for me, it is a mission to bring hope and healing back to a devastated community.' A government spokesperson said: 'We are aware of the students and are considering the request for support. Clearly the situation on the ground in Gaza makes this challenging.' These accounts were compiled with the help of the UK Coalition for Students in Gaza


The Independent
an hour ago
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The Guardian
4 hours ago
- The Guardian
Rising number of doctors among hundreds of medical staff detained in Gaza, say rights groups
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