We are continuing our live coverage of the latest developments in the Middle East, with a particular focus on Israel’s war on Gaza.
More than 20 people were killed on Sunday as they went to receive food at an aid distribution point set up by an Israeli-backed foundation in the Gaza Strip, according to a hospital run by the Red Cross that received the bodies.
Witnesses told the Associated Press that Israeli forces opened fire on people as they headed toward the aid distribution site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). “There were many martyrs, including women,” the 40-year-old resident said. “We were about 300 metres away from the military.”
Media reports said dozens of people were being treated at the hospital after the latest incident at the controversial site in Rafah.
Officials at the field hospital did not say who opened fire but added that another 175 people were wounded. An Associated Press reporter saw dozens of people being treated at the hospital.
Israel imposed its aid blockade in early March, cutting off all supplies including food, medicine, shelter and fuel in what has been condemned as the collective punishment of the civilian population in Gaza.
The aid was only partially lifted because of strong international pressure. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said before the easing of restrictions that Israel must not let Gaza sink into famine for “practical and diplomatic reasons”, with US senators and key allies telling him they could not handle images of mass hunger.
The IPC estimated that nearly 71,000 children under the age of five were expected to be “acutely malnourished”, with 14,100 cases expected to be severe in the next 11 months.
As we mentioned in the opening post, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) has taken over the handling of aid in the territory.
The GHF is using private American security and logistics companies to transport aid into Gaza for distribution by civilian teams at what are meant to be secure distribution sites.
It aims to bypass the UN as the main supplier of aid to the 2.1 million people in Gaza, where the population has been brought to the brink of famine by an 11-week Israeli aid blockade that was only eased just over a week ago.
The amount of aid being allowed into the Strip is still totally inadequate for the population’s needs. The UN and aid groups have pushed back against the new system led by GHF, accusing Israel of trying to use food as a weapon.
The new system has been described as unworkable, dangerous and potentially unlawful by aid agencies because it could lead to the forced mass transfer of populations.
The GHF says it distributed two million meals this week, a figure we have not yet been able to independently verify.
Israel set up the plan after accusing Hamas of stealing aid, something the Palestinian militant group denies. The GHF launch was marred by tumultuous scenes on Tuesday when Israeli troops opened fire on a large crowd, killing at least one civilian and injuring dozens of other Palestinian people.
We are continuing our live coverage of the latest developments in the Middle East, with a particular focus on Israel’s war on Gaza.
More than 20 people were killed on Sunday as they went to receive food at an aid distribution point set up by an Israeli-backed foundation in the Gaza Strip, according to a hospital run by the Red Cross that received the bodies.
Witnesses told the Associated Press that Israeli forces opened fire on people as they headed toward the aid distribution site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). “There were many martyrs, including women,” the 40-year-old resident said. “We were about 300 metres away from the military.”
Media reports said dozens of people were being treated at the hospital after the latest incident at the controversial site in Rafah.
Officials at the field hospital did not say who opened fire but added that another 175 people were wounded. An Associated Press reporter saw dozens of people being treated at the hospital.
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