Israeli forces opened fire near two Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid distribution sites, killing at least 10 Palestinians, and shot 19 others near the Zikim crossing as desperate crowds sought food amid a worsening famine, according to witnesses and Gaza’s Health Ministry. The violence, described as a “daily episode” by witness Yahia Youssef, came a day after US officials visited a GHF site, with the US ambassador praising it as an “incredible feat” despite its controversial record.
The United Nations, humanitarian partners, and Palestinians report that aid deliveries remain woefully inadequate, with only a fraction of the needed 500-600 trucks entering daily. Supplies pile up outside Gaza awaiting Israeli approval, while trucks that enter are often looted by desperate residents or criminal groups. Gaza’s Health Ministry reported seven malnutrition-related deaths in the past 24 hours, including a child, with experts warning of a “worst-case famine scenario” unfolding across the region.
Israeli airstrikes further escalated the crisis, killing a family of five, including three children, in a house in Zawaida, and a mother and daughter in a tent in Khan Younis. Israel’s military claimed it fired warning shots to manage crowds near Netzarim, denying direct involvement in the Shakoush area killings. GHF stated no incidents occurred near its sites, asserting its contractors used only pepper spray or warning shots to control crowds.
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Launched in May with US backing, the GHF was intended as an alternative to the UN’s aid system, which Israel accused—without evidence—of enabling Hamas to divert supplies. A UN report noted 859 deaths near GHF sites from May to July, with hundreds more along UN convoy routes, previously guarded by Hamas-led police targeted by Israeli fire.
In Tel Aviv, US envoy Steve Witkoff met families of the 50 hostages still held in Gaza, offering no new progress after stalled ceasefire talks. Families, frustrated by the lack of a timeline, urged Israel to negotiate an end to the war, sparked by Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack that killed 1,200, mostly civilians. Israel’s offensive has since killed over 60,400 Palestinians, with Gaza’s Health Ministry reporting over half are women and children, and 93 children and 76 adults dead from malnutrition since the conflict began.
Displaced Palestinians returning to Gaza City found neighborhoods reduced to rubble, with resident Mohamed Qeiqa lamenting, “Destruction everywhere. Where will people settle?” As airdrops by a Jordan-led coalition prove inadequate, UN official Philippe Lazzarini called for safer, more robust truck deliveries to address the humanitarian crisis.
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