Desperation Turns Deadly: 25 Palestinians Killed While Seeking Aid in Gaza

At least 25 Palestinians were killed overnight in Gaza by Israeli airstrikes and gunfire, most of them while waiting for humanitarian aid near the Zikim crossing with Israel, according to local health officials and hospital staff.

Thousands of desperate civilians had gathered at the crossing in hopes of receiving food, as famine conditions continue to worsen across the enclave. Staff at Gaza’s Shifa Hospital reported that the majority of victims died from gunfire while awaiting aid trucks. Four others were killed in an apartment building in Gaza City during airstrikes.

Israel’s military has not commented on the latest incident. The shootings come amid a breakdown in ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, with both U.S. and Israeli delegations recently withdrawing from talks.

Humanitarian organizations and UN agencies have warned that Gaza is on the brink of famine. The World Food Programme estimates nearly one in three people in Gaza are going days without food, and around 90,000 children and women require urgent nutritional support.

International pressure is mounting on Israel to ease its blockade and improve aid delivery mechanisms. Critics argue that the current system is failing, with aid trucks often overwhelmed by crowds and criminal gangs, and UN operations hampered by military restrictions.

Despite claims by Israel that it has allowed thousands of aid trucks into Gaza, the UN insists the volume remains far below what is needed to avert catastrophe. The recent killings have intensified calls from over 100 humanitarian groups and more than two dozen Western-aligned nations for an immediate end to the war.