At least 48 Palestinians were killed and over 100 injured Wednesday while scrambling for food at Gaza’s Zikim Crossing, the main hub for humanitarian aid into northern Gaza, according to Shifa Hospital. The deadly incident unfolded as desperate crowds overwhelmed an aid convoy, amid Israel’s ongoing military offensive and blockade fueling a dire hunger crisis.
Footage from the Associated Press captured survivors hauling wounded people in wooden carts and others fleeing with bags of flour. Al-Saraya Field Hospital reported receiving a surge of casualties, while Gaza Health Ministry’s emergency head, Fares Awad, warned the death toll could climb as bodies were sent to multiple facilities. The Israeli military, which controls the crossing, has not commented on who opened fire.
The violence follows overnight Israeli strikes and gunfire that killed 46 Palestinians, mostly among crowds seeking food, health officials said. Seven others, including a child, died from malnutrition-related causes, adding to 89 children and 65 adults lost to starvation since the war began, per Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Also Read: Gaza Chaos: Israeli Strikes Kill Dozens Seeking Aid
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) warned Tuesday of “widespread death” without urgent action, describing Gaza’s hunger crisis as the worst on record. Israel recently eased its blockade under global pressure, with COGAT reporting 220 aid trucks entered Tuesday—far below the 500-600 needed daily, per UN estimates. However, aid delivery remains chaotic, with crowds looting trucks in Israeli-controlled zones and violence marring efforts by the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). Over 1,000 Palestinians have died seeking aid since May, according to local and UN sources.
Israel denies starvation claims, insisting it targets only militants and blaming Hamas for operating in civilian areas. The war, sparked by Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack that killed 1,200 and abducted 251, has claimed over 60,000 Palestinian lives, per Gaza’s Health Ministry. Hamas still holds 50 hostages, about 20 believed alive.
As the crisis deepens, US envoy Steve Witkoff arrives in Israel Thursday to negotiate an end to the 22-month conflict and secure hostage releases. Meanwhile, airdropped aid often lands in evacuated zones or the Mediterranean, forcing Palestinians to risk their lives retrieving it.
Also Read: Gaza Horror: 25 Killed Seeking Aid Amid Strikes