Gaza in crisis: 29 Palestinians killed, 155 injured in shelling while awaiting aid; Israel denies attacks – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Tragedy struck Gaza on Thursday as at least 29 Palestinians lost their lives in two separate Israeli attacks while waiting for aid, according to Gaza’s health ministry. Israel’s military denied targeting aid centers, labeling the reports as false and urging for reliance on credible information.
The first incident occurred in the central Gaza Strip at the Al-Nuseirat camp, where eight individuals were killed in an airstrike on an aid distribution center.Later, at a northern Gaza roundabout, at least 21 people were killed and over 150 were wounded by Israeli gunfire as they awaited aid trucks.
This comes two weeks after Israeli forces reportedly shot dead more than 100 Palestinians as they waited for an aid delivery near Gaza City. Israel blamed the deaths on crowds that surrounded aid trucks, saying victims had been trampled or run over.
The ongoing conflict in Gaza has resulted in the displacement of a significant portion of the enclave’s 2.3 million population, leading to chaotic scenes and deadly incidents during aid distributions as people in desperate need of food struggled to access supplies.
In another incident, a missile strike by Israel in Deir Al-Balah claimed the lives of nine individuals, as reported by Palestinian medics. Israeli aerial and ground bombardments persisted overnight across the enclave, with Rafah in the south hosting over a million displaced individuals seeking shelter.
The conflict, sparked by a Hamas-led attack on southern Israeli towns in October, has resulted in a significant loss of life, especially in Gaza. While the October 7 attack left 1,200 Israelis killed and 253 taken hostage, Israel’s air, sea and ground assault on Gaza has killed more than 31,000 people and wounded over 71,500.
As the situation in Gaza deteriorates, the United Nations has warned that approximately 576,000 people in the region are on the brink of famine. Despite international pressure on Israel to facilitate aid access, the country denies obstructing deliveries into Gaza and points to alleged failures by aid agencies and Hamas’ role in aid diversion.
As the conflict persists, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens, with urgent calls for sustained international support to alleviate the suffering of the civilian population. The need for a lasting ceasefire and comprehensive peace agreement remains paramount to prevent further loss of life and address the dire humanitarian situation in the region.