At least eleven Palestinians were killed early Wednesday morning after Israeli forces opened fire on a crowd waiting for food aid in central Gaza, according to civil defence officials in the besieged enclave.
The shooting occurred near the strategic Netzarim corridor, a key route partially controlled by Israeli forces, where thousands had gathered in the hope of receiving desperately needed food supplies. Civil defence spokesperson Mahmoud Bassal said Israeli troops “opened fire and launched several shells” at civilians queuing for aid.
The Israeli military later issued a statement saying its forces had identified “a group of suspicious individuals” approaching them “in a manner that posed a potential threat”. It claimed troops had fired “warning shots” and that it was “unaware of injuries”.
However, medics at al-Aqsa hospital in Deir al-Balah confirmed that 11 bodies and 72 wounded individuals were brought to their facility, as well as to nearby al-Awda hospital in Nuseirat. Both hospitals were said to be overwhelmed and operating under extreme pressure.
“This has become an almost daily routine,” said Dr Nasser Abu Samra, head of emergency at al-Awda. “We deal with these cases every single day, and on average, we receive no less than 70 to 80 cases per day from the aid distribution point in Netzarim.”
The killings come amid mounting alarm over Gaza’s deteriorating humanitarian situation. Food has become nearly impossible to obtain following an Israeli blockade in March and April that restricted nearly all aid from entering the strip. Although Israel has since partially eased the blockade, international agencies say access remains woefully inadequate.
The World Food Programme (WFP) stated on Wednesday that it had managed to deliver only 9,000 metric tonnes of food over the past four weeks, a quantity it described as “a tiny fraction of what a population of 2.1 million hungry people needs”.
“Only a massive scale-up in food distributions can stabilise the situation, calm anxieties, and rebuild trust within communities that more food is coming,” the WFP said. It called for safer convoy routes, quicker permission approvals, consistent communications, and the opening of more border crossings.
Efforts to bring in aid have been hampered by airstrikes, damaged infrastructure, and a growing breakdown of civil order. On Tuesday, at least 59 people were killed while waiting for flour in Khan Younis. In recent weeks, many such incidents have involved Israeli forces firing on civilians near food delivery points.
Much of the recent aid distribution has been managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a private organisation supported by Israel and the United States, which Israeli authorities hope will replace the United Nations’ previous aid system. Israeli officials allege that Hamas was diverting UN-delivered aid, a claim strongly denied by the UN and major humanitarian organisations.
However, UN agencies and aid groups have refused to work with the GHF, citing ethical concerns and accusing Israel of using the foundation to advance its military agenda. Humanitarian officials in Gaza have also criticised the GHF’s provisions as grossly insufficient.
The escalating crisis comes against the backdrop of Israel’s continued military offensive in Gaza, which began after Hamas’s 7 October 2023 assault on southern Israel that killed approximately 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages being taken. Of those, 53 are still believed to be held by militants, though fewer than half are thought to be alive.
Since the resumption of major Israeli operations in mid-March, more than 5,100 people have been killed, according to the Gaza health ministry. That includes additional casualties from airstrikes on Wednesday, which Gaza’s civil defence agency said killed 19 people. Medics reported even higher figures: 21 dead in separate strikes on homes in the Maghazi refugee camp, Zeitoun neighbourhood, and Gaza City, along with five more in an airstrike on a displaced persons’ encampment in Khan Younis.
The total death toll in Gaza since the outbreak of war has now reached 55,493, according to the territory’s health authorities. The true number is likely to be higher, given the widespread devastation and thousands still missing under rubble.
