Israel kills dozens in Gaza amid growing famine fueled by restricted aid flow
Dr. Khalil Al-Daqran, a spokesperson for Gaza's Health Ministry, said at least 52 people were killed in Gaza so far this weekend, including those waiting in line for aid at the Zikim crossing with Israel, 'a number of starving children' and a group recovered in southern Khan Younis.
In the Zikim area, at least a dozen were killed as they waited for aid trucks, according to The Associated Press.
The Israel Defense Forces did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The latest killings near an aid distribution site come amid what many have described as Israel's 'drip-feeding of aid' into Gaza, a tactic that has contributed to more than 120 deaths from malnutrition and left a third of the population on the brink of starvation.
The criticism is disputed by the Israeli military, which says it has allowed in an average of 70 trucks a day since May. But aid agencies say hundreds more trucks a day are necessary to feed Gaza's starving population.
Five deaths due to malnutrition were recorded in Gaza in the last 24 hours, the Palestinian Health Ministry in the territory said on Saturday. At least 127 people, including 85 children, have died as a result of hunger in the enclave since Oct. 7, 2023, according to the ministry.
Earlier this week, 25 countries, including Britain, Japan and a host of European nations, issued a joint statement insisting that the war in Gaza 'must end now.'
The foreign ministers of the nations called the recent killings of Palestinians seeking aid 'horrific,' which Gaza's Health Ministry and the U.N. human rights office estimate to be over 800.
The latest prior instance involved the killing of at least 67 people as they waited for U.N. aid trucks in northern Gaza on Sunday.
Israel said its military had fired warning shots into the crowd to remove 'an immediate threat,' adding that casualty reports were inflated.
The Israeli military, which controls the entry of all aid into the besieged enclave, blames the U.N. and other aid agencies for failing to distribute the supplies.
U.N. spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters this week that there was 'a lack of willingness' from Israel to allow them to distribute aid.
Israel has accused Hamas of stealing U.S.-funded aid, citing that as a main rationale, along with the U.S., for proposing a new armed, private aid operation. But an investigation by the U.S. Agency for International Development found ' no reports alleging Hamas ' benefited from U.S.-funded supplies.
In a statement, the IDF said USAID's report ignores 'clear and explicit evidence that Hamas exploits humanitarian aid to sustain its fighting capabilities,' and criticizes the military 'for routing decisions made specifically to protect humanitarian staff and shipments.'
'The USAID report represents a striking example of biased framing,' the IDF said. 'Instead of holding Hamas and other terror groups accountable for looting and obstructing aid from reaching the population, it assigns 'indirect responsibility' to Israel for the actions of armed militants and terror organizations.'
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- New York Post
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- The Hill
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