Dozens killed as Palestinians in Gaza scramble for aid from air and land
Israel's blockade and military offensive have made it nearly impossible to safely deliver aid, contributing to the territory's slide towards famine nearly 22 months into the war with Hamas.
Aid groups say Israel's week-old measures to allow more aid in are far from sufficient.
Families of hostages in Gaza fear starvation affects them too, but blame Hamas.
Several hundred Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since May while heading toward food distribution sites and aid convoys, according to witnesses, local health officials and the United Nations human rights office.
The military says it has only fired warning shots and disputes the toll.
As international alarm has mounted, several countries have airdropped aid over Gaza.
The UN and aid groups call such drops costly and dangerous for residents, and say they deliver far less aid than trucks.
Many food parcels dropped by air have splashed into the Mediterranean Sea or landed in so-called red zones from which Israel's military has ordered people to evacuate.
In either case, Palestinians risk their lives to get flour and other basic goods.
On Monday, Palestinians cheered as pallets of aid were parachuted over Zuweida in central Gaza. Associated Press footage showed a desperate scramble when the parcels hit the ground, with hundreds of people racing toward them.
Fistfights broke out and some men wielded batons.
'I wish they would deliver it through the (land) crossings,' Rabah Rabah said earlier as he waited for the airdrop.
'This is inhuman.'
At least one parcel fell on a tent where displaced people had been sheltering, injuring a man who was taken to a hospital. His condition was not immediately known.
At least 16 people were killed late on Sunday near the Israeli-controlled Zikim Crossing, the main entry point for aid to northern Gaza, according to records at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, which showed that more than 130 people were wounded.
The circumstances were not immediately clear, but the crossing has seen several shootings in recent days that witnesses and health officials blamed on Israeli forces.
There was no immediate comment from the military.
At least 10 people were killed as thousands waited for aid trucks in the Morag Corridor, which the Israeli military carved out between the southern cities of Khan Younis and Rafah.
Mohammed al-Masri, who was among the crowds, said Israeli forces opened fire when a group of young men tried to make their way to the front.
'The occupation forces shot many people in the head and in the back,' he said, adding that he saw four wounded people, one motionless on the ground.
Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis said it received 10 bodies from Morag and another five who were killed near an aid site in southern Gaza run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an Israeli-backed American contractor.
GHF said there were no violent incidents at or near its sites. It said a new UN route runs near two of its sites in the south and has drawn large crowds of people who unload the convoys.
GHF says its contractors have only used pepper spray or fired warning shots on a few occasions to prevent deadly crowding since it opened four sites in May.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Insider
4 hours ago
- Business Insider
United Nations to shut 150 clinics in Africa's most populous country amid aid cuts
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) will shut half of its clinics in Nigeria's conflict-hit northeast this month. The WFP will close half of its clinics in Nigeria's northeast due to insufficient donor support. Over 300,000 children under two face losing access to lifesaving nutrition treatment. The WFP urgently appeals for $130 million in funding to support its programs through 2025. The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) will shut half of its clinics in Nigeria's conflict-hit northeast this month, as dwindling donor support forces the agency to scale back humanitarian operations. With more than 150 WFP-supported nutrition clinics in Borno and Yobe states set to close if funding is not renewed, over 300,000 children under the age of two will lose access to potential lifesaving treatment. 'This is no longer just a humanitarian crisis,' said WFP Country Director David Stevenson. ' It's a growing threat to regional stability as families pushed beyond their limits are left with nowhere to turn.' Despite urgent appeals for $130 million to sustain its programs through 2025, the WFP said it has received no funding to continue food and nutrition assistance for 1.3 million people. Nigeria is facing a deepening food crisis, with a record 31 million people experiencing food insecurity, according to the UN. The situation is particularly dire in the insurgency-ravaged northeast, where nearly 20% of the population is grappling with acute hunger. Foreign aid freeze hits In recent months, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has been forced to scale back food rations to Nigeria as U.S. funding dries up. The sharp cuts are a direct consequence of President Donald Trump's renewed push to slash foreign aid under his 'America First' agenda. An executive order signed on January 20, 2025, imposed a 90-day freeze on all U.S. foreign development assistance, triggering an immediate halt to countless aid programs worldwide. On January 20, 2025, an executive order put a 90-day hold on all US foreign development assistance, leading to the widespread suspension of aid programs. Till today, the United States still insists on drastically reducing the amount of aid sent to other countries. The Nigerian Ministry of Health has not outlined how it plans to address the impending gap. This year, the federal government allocated a mere $326,000 to combat malnutrition and stunting in the most affected states, a figure widely seen as grossly inadequate given the scale of the crisis. Humanitarian agencies across Africa are reeling from a sharp decline in foreign aid, exacerbated by the US under President Donald Trump, which has been slashing overseas assistance. European nations, too, are redirecting resources inward to meet domestic priorities, leaving countries like Nigeria vulnerable.
Los Angeles Times
5 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
Dozens killed as Palestinians in Gaza scramble for aid from air and land
DEIR AL BALAH, Gaza Strip — Dozens of Palestinians were killed or wounded on Monday as desperate crowds headed toward food distribution points and airdropped parcels in the Gaza Strip, according to witnesses and local health officials. Israel's blockade and military offensive have made it nearly impossible to safely deliver aid, contributing to the territory's slide toward famine nearly 22 months into the war with Hamas. Aid groups say Israel's week-old measures to allow more aid in are far from sufficient. Families of hostages in Gaza fear starvation affects them too, but blame Hamas. Several hundred Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since May while heading toward food distribution sites and aid convoys, according to witnesses, local health officials and the United Nations human rights office. The military says it has only fired warning shots and disputes the toll. As international alarm has mounted, several countries have airdropped aid over Gaza. The U.N. and aid groups call such drops costly and dangerous for residents, and say they deliver far less aid than trucks. Many food parcels dropped by air have splashed into the Mediterranean Sea or landed in so-called red zones from which Israel's military has ordered people to evacuate. In either case, Palestinians risk their lives to get flour and other basic goods. On Monday, Palestinians cheered as pallets of aid were parachuted over Zuweida in central Gaza. Associated Press footage showed a desperate scramble when the parcels hit the ground, with hundreds of people racing toward them. Fistfights broke out and some men wielded batons. 'I wish they would deliver it through the (land) crossings,' Rabah Rabah said earlier as he waited for the airdrop. 'This is inhuman.' At least one parcel fell on a tent where displaced people had been sheltering, injuring a man who was taken to a hospital. His condition was not immediately known. At least 16 people were killed late Sunday near the Israeli-controlled Zikim Crossing, the main entry point for aid to northern Gaza, according to records at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, which showed that more than 130 people were wounded. The circumstances were not immediately clear, but the crossing has seen several shootings in recent days that witnesses and health officials blamed on Israeli forces. There was no immediate comment from the military. At least 10 people were killed as thousands waited for aid trucks in the Morag Corridor, which the Israeli military carved out between the southern cities of Khan Younis and Rafah. Mohammed al-Masri, who was among the crowds, said Israeli forces opened fire when a group of young men tried to make their way to the front. 'The occupation forces shot many people in the head and in the back,' he said, adding that he saw four wounded people, one motionless on the ground. Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis said it received 10 bodies from Morag and another five who were killed near an aid site in southern Gaza run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an Israeli-backed American contractor. GHF said there were no violent incidents at or near its sites. It said a new U.N. route runs near two of its sites in the south and has drawn large crowds of people who unload the convoys. GHF says its contractors have only used pepper spray or fired warning shots on a few occasions to prevent deadly crowding since it opened four sites in May. Al-Awda Hospital in central Gaza said it received the bodies of eight people killed near a GHF site in the Israeli-controlled Netzarim Corridor, and that another 50 people were wounded. Witnesses and health officials said Israeli forces had fired toward the crowds. An Associated Press photo showed a man carrying a body away from the site, as others hauled bags of food. 'It's like yesterday, and the day before,' said Ayman Ruqab, a young Palestinian who said he had tried unsuccessfully to reach the site for the past three days. 'It's a death trap.' The Israeli military said it fired warning shots at people who approached 'in a manner that posed a threat to the troops,' without elaborating. It said it was not aware of any casualties. Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251 in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that ignited the war. They still hold 50 hostages, around 20 of them believed to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefires or other deals. Israel's retaliatory military offensive has killed more than 60,900 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The ministry, which doesn't distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count but says around half the dead have been women and children, is staffed by medical professionals. The U.N. and other independent experts view its figures as the most reliable casualty count. Israel has disputed the figures but hasn't provided its own. Shurafa and Magdy write for the Associated Press. Magdy reported from Cairo.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Dozens killed as Palestinians in Gaza scramble for aid from air and land
Dozens of Palestinians were killed or wounded on Monday as desperate crowds headed toward food distribution points and airdropped parcels in the Gaza Strip, according to witnesses and local health officials. Israel's blockade and military offensive have made it nearly impossible to safely deliver aid, contributing to the territory's slide towards famine nearly 22 months into the war with Hamas. Aid groups say Israel's week-old measures to allow more aid in are far from sufficient. Families of hostages in Gaza fear starvation affects them too, but blame Hamas. Several hundred Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since May while heading toward food distribution sites and aid convoys, according to witnesses, local health officials and the United Nations human rights office. The military says it has only fired warning shots and disputes the toll. As international alarm has mounted, several countries have airdropped aid over Gaza. The UN and aid groups call such drops costly and dangerous for residents, and say they deliver far less aid than trucks. Many food parcels dropped by air have splashed into the Mediterranean Sea or landed in so-called red zones from which Israel's military has ordered people to evacuate. In either case, Palestinians risk their lives to get flour and other basic goods. On Monday, Palestinians cheered as pallets of aid were parachuted over Zuweida in central Gaza. Associated Press footage showed a desperate scramble when the parcels hit the ground, with hundreds of people racing toward them. Fistfights broke out and some men wielded batons. 'I wish they would deliver it through the (land) crossings,' Rabah Rabah said earlier as he waited for the airdrop. 'This is inhuman.' At least one parcel fell on a tent where displaced people had been sheltering, injuring a man who was taken to a hospital. His condition was not immediately known. At least 16 people were killed late on Sunday near the Israeli-controlled Zikim Crossing, the main entry point for aid to northern Gaza, according to records at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, which showed that more than 130 people were wounded. The circumstances were not immediately clear, but the crossing has seen several shootings in recent days that witnesses and health officials blamed on Israeli forces. There was no immediate comment from the military. At least 10 people were killed as thousands waited for aid trucks in the Morag Corridor, which the Israeli military carved out between the southern cities of Khan Younis and Rafah. Mohammed al-Masri, who was among the crowds, said Israeli forces opened fire when a group of young men tried to make their way to the front. 'The occupation forces shot many people in the head and in the back,' he said, adding that he saw four wounded people, one motionless on the ground. Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis said it received 10 bodies from Morag and another five who were killed near an aid site in southern Gaza run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an Israeli-backed American contractor. GHF said there were no violent incidents at or near its sites. It said a new UN route runs near two of its sites in the south and has drawn large crowds of people who unload the convoys. GHF says its contractors have only used pepper spray or fired warning shots on a few occasions to prevent deadly crowding since it opened four sites in May.
