Israeli Forces Reportedly Kill 67 Palestinians Awaiting Aid in Northern Gaza

Israeli forces have reportedly killed at least 67 Palestinians who were awaiting UN aid deliveries in northern Gaza, according to a statement from the Hamas-run health ministry. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed to have fired "warning shots" to neutralize an "immediate threat" but contested the reported number of fatalities.

In addition to the deaths in northern Gaza, six more individuals were killed while seeking aid elsewhere in the territory, with over 150 others injured—some critically. The health ministry raised alarms on Saturday, stating that extreme hunger is escalating in Gaza, with an increasing number of people arriving at medical facilities in "a state of extreme exhaustion and fatigue." It warned that hundreds of people suffering from severe malnutrition are at risk of imminent death due to starvation.

The UN has echoed these concerns, emphasizing that civilians in Gaza are facing starvation and calling for an urgent delivery of essential goods. Many of the casualties from northern Gaza were transported to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, where the medical director, Dr. Hassan al-Shaer, described the facility as "overwhelmed." The hospital has been forced to redirect the wounded to other field hospitals.

Outside Shifa Hospital, a woman told BBC Arabic, "The whole population is dying. Children are dying of hunger because they have nothing to eat. People are surviving on water and salt... just water and salt." This incident is the latest in a series of deadly events involving Palestinians seeking food since late May. On Saturday, at least 32 people were reportedly killed by Israeli gunfire near two aid distribution points in southern Gaza.

Many of these incidents have occurred near sites operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a controversial organization backed by the US and Israel that uses private security contractors to distribute aid from Israeli military zones. However, some incidents have also taken place near UN aid distribution points.

Meanwhile, the IDF has issued evacuation orders for a densely populated area in central Gaza, where it has not yet launched a ground offensive during its 21-month campaign against Hamas. Residents and displaced Palestinians in Deir al-Balah were instructed to move toward al-Mawasi on the Mediterranean coast, sparking widespread panic. The evacuation order has raised concerns among families of Israeli hostages, who fear their relatives may be held in the city.

The IDF has conducted air strikes in the area but has not deployed ground troops. On Sunday, the military dropped leaflets urging residents in several districts of southwest Deir al-Balah to leave their homes and head further south. The affected neighborhoods are crowded with displaced individuals living in tents. Israeli sources suggest the army has avoided these areas due to suspicions that Hamas may be holding hostages there.

At least 20 of the remaining 50 hostages in Gaza are believed to still be alive. The ongoing conflict has displaced over two million people in Gaza, with repeated Israeli evacuation orders covering large parts of the territory. On Sunday, Pope Leo XIV called for an "immediate end to the barbarity of the war" and condemned the "indiscriminate use of force." His statement followed a deadly Israeli strike on Gaza's only Catholic church, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country deeply regretted.

Israel's military campaign in Gaza began in response to Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, which killed approximately 1,200 people and resulted in 251 others being taken hostage. According to the Hamas-run health ministry, Israeli attacks have since killed more than 58,895 people in Gaza. The ministry's figures are widely cited by the UN and other organizations as the most reliable source of casualty statistics.