Scores of Palestinians were killed or injured on Monday as large crowds desperately rushed to reach food aid distributed by land and airdropped supplies in Gaza, according to eyewitnesses and health officials.
Due to Israel’s ongoing blockade and military campaign, delivering humanitarian aid safely has become nearly impossible, pushing Gaza closer to famine nearly two years into the conflict with Hamas. Aid organizations say recent Israeli efforts to allow more aid in are insufficient. Families of hostages in Gaza are also worried about starvation but hold Hamas responsible.
Since May, hundreds of Palestinians have reportedly been killed by Israeli fire while approaching aid convoys and distribution centers, based on witness accounts, local officials, and the UN human rights office. The Israeli military claims it only uses warning shots and disputes the reported casualty numbers.
In response to growing international concern, several nations have resorted to airdropping aid over Gaza. However, the UN and humanitarian groups say this method is risky and inefficient, delivering far less aid compared to trucks.
Chaos Over Airdrops
Many of the aid parcels dropped by air end up in the sea or in areas where residents have been told to evacuate, making retrieval dangerous. Still, desperate Palestinians risk their lives for flour and other essentials.
On Monday, cheers erupted in Zuweida, central Gaza, as aid was parachuted in. Video from the Associated Press showed a chaotic scene as hundreds of people ran for the packages, with fistfights breaking out and some men using sticks.
"I wish they would bring it through the crossings," said Rabah Rabah, waiting for an airdrop. "This is inhuman."
One aid package reportedly fell on a tent, injuring a man who was taken to the hospital.
Deadly Incidents at Aid Sites
At least 16 people were killed late Sunday near the Israeli-controlled Zikim Crossing — the main entry for aid into northern Gaza — according to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, which also reported over 130 wounded. The exact cause remains unclear, but the area has seen multiple shootings blamed on Israeli forces. The military has not commented.
In another incident, 10 people were killed at the Morag Corridor between Khan Younis and Rafah as crowds awaited aid. Witness Mohammed al-Masri said Israeli troops fired when a group tried to move ahead, shooting many in the head and back.
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Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis received the bodies of 10 people from Morag and five others from a separate aid site in southern Gaza operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a U.S.-linked group backed by Israel.
GHF denies any violence at its sites. It said a new UN aid route runs near two of its locations, drawing massive crowds. GHF claims its staff have only used pepper spray or fired warning shots a few times to manage crowd control since May.
‘Like a Death Trap’
Al-Awda Hospital in central Gaza said it received eight bodies and 50 injured from near a GHF site in the Israeli-controlled Netzarim Corridor. Witnesses and health officials again blamed Israeli fire. An AP photo showed a man carrying a body from the scene, while others carried bags of food.
“It’s the same every day,” said Ayman Ruqab, a young man who has failed to reach aid for three days. “It’s a death trap.”
The Israeli military said its forces fired warning shots at individuals approaching in a way that posed a threat but claimed no knowledge of casualties.
The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages. About 50 remain in captivity, with 20 believed to be alive.
In response, Israel’s offensive has killed over 60,900 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. While the ministry doesn’t separate civilians from fighters in its count, it says about half the dead are women and children. The UN and other experts consider these figures the most credible, although Israel disputes them and hasn’t released its own data.