Israeli Forces Kill 27 in Gaza Amid Chaos at Food Aid Distribution Site

Gaza, August 4, 2024 - At least 27 people were killed and several others injured when Israeli forces opened fire on crowds of Palestinians seeking food aid in Gaza on Sunday, according to Palestinian officials. The incident occurred at a distribution site run by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) in the southern part of the territory.

Witnesses described the Israeli fire as indiscriminate, with one eyewitness, Yousef Abed, telling the Associated Press that he saw at least three people bleeding on the ground as Israeli forces fired on the crowd. "I couldn't stop and help because of the bullets," Abed said.

The killings on Sunday were the latest in a string of deadly shootings targeting hungry people in Gaza. According to the UN, at least 1,400 people have been killed while seeking aid since May 27, with most of those killed near GHF sites or along aid convoy routes. The GHF has stated that it only uses pepper spray or fires warning shots to control crowds.

In total, 119 people were killed in Gaza by Israeli shootings and strikes over the past 24 hours, including those seeking aid, according to the Gaza health ministry. The Palestinian Red Crescent said the Israeli military targeted its headquarters in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, on Sunday, killing one staffer and wounding three others.

A separate Israeli strike hit a school in Khan Younis that displaced people had been using as shelter, killing at least two people. The Gaza health ministry also reported that six people had died of starvation or malnutrition in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of starvation deaths to 175, including 93 children.

Humanitarian groups have warned of a severe food crisis in Gaza, with experts blaming Israel's continued blockade of aid for the worsening situation. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has called for increased aid to enter Gaza to help stabilize the emergency.

Meanwhile, Israel's far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, led prayers at the al-Aqsa mosque in occupied East Jerusalem on Sunday, provoking outrage among regional powers. Jordan condemned the visit, describing it as “an unacceptable provocation.”

Ben-Gvir's visit came as the Israeli public was reeling from the release of videos showing emaciated hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu requested the help of the ICRC in providing food and medical aid to the hostages.

Hamas responded that it was ready to provide Red Cross aid to the hostages if Israel halted "all forms of air traffic" during the delivery of packages. Thousands of Palestinians also protested in the occupied West Bank against the war in Gaza and the detention of Palestinians in Israeli prisons.

The death toll in Gaza since the start of Israel's military operations on October 7, 2023, has risen to at least 60,839 people. Over 10,800 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons, with rights groups documenting widespread torture and abuse.