KLIK SAJA - In a harrowing incident early Wednesday morning, at least eleven Palestinians were shot dead after Israeli forces opened fire on a crowd waiting for food aid trucks in central Gaza, according to civil defense officials in the devastated territory.
The tragedy adds to a growing toll, with over a hundred Palestinians reportedly killed in recent days by Israeli military fire while gathering near food distribution centers or along routes expected to be traveled by aid convoys.
Civil defense spokesperson Mahmoud Bassal stated that Israeli troops “fired live rounds and launched shells at thousands of citizens” gathered near the strategic Netzarim corridor—a route that cuts across Gaza and is partially controlled by Israeli forces.
In response, the Israeli military claimed its troops identified “a group of suspicious individuals approaching in a way that posed a potential threat.” They insisted that only “warning shots” were fired and denied awareness of any casualties.
However, these claims were quickly contradicted by medics on the ground.
Khalil Al-Daqran, spokesperson for al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, confirmed that eleven bodies and 72 injured victims were brought to the facility, as well as to al-Awda Hospital in Nuseirat. He described the situation as overwhelming, with medical staff struggling to manage the flood of wounded patients.
“This has sadly become a daily routine,” said Dr. Nasser Abu Samra, head of emergency at al-Awda Hospital. “We deal with similar cases every day, receiving no less than 70 to 80 casualties just from the Netzarim food distribution point.”
Since Israel imposed a severe blockade on all supplies entering Gaza throughout March and April, food has become desperately scarce, placing over two million residents at critical risk of famine.
Although the blockade was partially eased last month, the UN’s efforts to deliver aid have faced daunting challenges, including bombed-out roads, ongoing Israeli military restrictions, frequent airstrikes, and growing lawlessness on the ground.
According to aid officials, an average of just 23 UN trucks have entered Gaza through the main Kerem Shalom crossing in recent days. However, many of these trucks have been stopped or looted—either by desperate civilians or organized gangs.
The World Food Programme (WFP) reported that in the past four weeks, only 9,000 metric tons of food aid had been delivered to Gaza—“a tiny fraction of what is needed to feed 2.1 million starving people.”
“Only a massive scale-up in food distribution can stabilize the situation, ease public anxiety, and rebuild trust in communities that more aid is coming,” the WFP emphasized. “We urgently need safer and more reliable convoy routes, faster approval processes, stable communication lines, and the opening of additional border crossings.”
On Tuesday, at least 59 Palestinians were killed and hundreds injured in Khan Younis while waiting for a truck carrying flour.
In recent weeks, similar incidents have become alarmingly common, with Israeli forces repeatedly firing on crowds attempting to access aid provided by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF)—a private organization that began operations last month with Israeli and U.S. backing.