At least 67 Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded on Monday when Israeli forces opened fire near a UN aid convoy in northern Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. This incident marks one of the deadliest in recent weeks involving civilians desperately seeking food.
The World Food Programme (WFP) confirmed that its 25-truck convoy encountered “massive crowds of hungry civilians which came under gunfire” shortly after entering Gaza from Israel and clearing checkpoints. The UN agency condemned the violence against aid seekers as “completely unacceptable,” adding that 90,000 women and children urgently require treatment for malnutrition.
The Israeli military acknowledged firing “warning shots” in the area but disputed the reported death toll, asserting it acted to “remove an immediate threat.” However, survivors recounted chaotic scenes of gunfire, shelling, and widespread panic.
Eyewitness Qasem Abu Khater told AFP he had tried to retrieve a bag of flour but found himself amidst “deadly overcrowding and pushing.” He described, “Tanks were firing shells randomly, and sniper soldiers were shooting as if they were hunting animals in a forest. Dozens were martyred right before my eyes.”
Many casualties were transported to Gaza City’s Shifa Hospital, where Medical Director Dr. Hassan al-Shaer stated the facility was “overwhelmed.” A woman outside the hospital told BBC Arabic: “The whole population is dying. Children are dying of hunger… People are surviving on just water and salt.”
Rising Death Toll and Deepening Famine
In a separate update, Gaza’s civil defense agency reported that a total of 93 Palestinians had been killed across Gaza on Sunday due to Israeli fire. This figure includes 80 fatalities in northern Gaza, nine people shot dead near an aid point in Rafah, and four more in Khan Younis.
The health ministry also reported 18 deaths from famine within a 24-hour period, underscoring the escalating humanitarian crisis. “Hundreds of people whose bodies have wasted away are at risk of imminent death due to hunger,” the ministry stated on Saturday.
According to the WFP, “nearly one person in three is not eating for days.” Since late May, there have been near-daily reports of Palestinians being killed while attempting to obtain food.
Some of the recent incidents have occurred near aid sites operated by the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which is supported by the US and Israel and utilizes private security firms for aid distribution within Israeli military-controlled zones. Other attacks have taken place near UN-run convoys.
Fresh Evacuation Orders Fuel Fear
Meanwhile, the Israeli military has issued evacuation orders for parts of central Gaza, including Deir al-Balah, where a ground offensive has yet to be launched. Leaflets dropped from aircraft on Sunday instructed residents and displaced persons to relocate towards the coastal town of al-Mawasi.
This directive has sparked panic among tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians already living in makeshift tents. It has also alarmed Israeli families who fear their relatives, held hostage by Hamas, might be located in the affected area.
The Israeli army stated, “The Defense Forces continue to operate with great force to destroy the enemy’s capabilities and terrorist infrastructure in the area,” without specifying a timeline for any ground operations.
Israeli sources quoted by Reuters indicated that the military has so far refrained from entering the affected areas due to the possibility that hostages may be held there. According to Israeli estimates, at least 20 of the 50 hostages believed to remain in Gaza are still alive.
Growing Calls for Ceasefire
Pope Leo XIV added his voice to increasing international demands for an immediate ceasefire, urging an “end to the barbarity of the war” and condemning the “indiscriminate use of force.” His remarks followed a deadly Israeli strike that hit Gaza’s only Catholic Church—an incident Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his government deeply regretted.
Israel’s offensive in Gaza commenced after the October 7, 2023, attacks led by Hamas, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 Israelis and the taking of 251 others as hostages. Since then, more than 58,895 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli air and ground operations, according to Gaza’s health ministry figures, which are widely cited by the UN as the most reliable available.
With most of Gaza’s population of over two million displaced at least once, and food insecurity rapidly escalating, aid agencies have reiterated urgent calls for unhindered humanitarian access and a lasting ceasefire.
