In the past 24 hours, at least 140 Palestinians were killed across Gaza due to Israeli airstrikes and gunfire, according to local health officials. Among these, 40 people died on Wednesday alone, as the Gaza Health Ministry reported continuous fatalities involving civilians seeking aid.
These incidents have occurred amid Israel’s partial easing of the blockade on the territory, which has led to near-daily tragedies among desperate civilians trying to obtain food and basic necessities.
Airstrikes and Aid Ambushes Leave Hundreds Dead as Gaza Pleads for Global Attention
Medics reported that airstrikes targeted several areas, including homes in the Maghazi refugee camp, Gaza City, and Zeitoun neighborhood, resulting in at least 21 deaths. An additional five people were killed in Khan Younis, and 14 more died when Israeli fire hit crowds waiting for aid along the Salahuddin road.
The Israel Defense Forces claimed individuals approached troops in an “active combat zone” and that warning shots were fired, though they said they were unaware of casualties. The military reiterated its objective of dismantling Hamas infrastructure while attempting to reduce civilian harm.
Gaza Death Toll Rises Amid Airstrikes and Aid Chaos as Civilians Cry Out for Global HelpSince the partial return of aid deliveries in late May, 397 Palestinians have been killed and over 3,000 injured while trying to access food, Gaza’s health ministry said. Hunger is now as lethal as military strikes, with people risking death just to obtain flour or canned goods.
Locals express increasing frustration, feeling abandoned by the global community as attention has pivoted toward Israel’s escalating tensions with Iran. Many feel Gaza’s ongoing war, which began in October 2023, is fading from international focus.
Restricted Aid and Global Apathy Deepen Gaza’s Humanitarian Crisis Amid Mounting Civilian Deaths
Israel has started delivering aid through the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, using private security and limiting distribution to guarded areas. While Israel claims to prevent Hamas from intercepting aid, Hamas denies misappropriating supplies and accuses Israel of weaponizing hunger.
Philippe Lazzarini of the UN refugee agency condemned the system as a moral failure, describing it as “a disgrace and a stain on our collective consciousness.” The World Food Programme also urged a significant increase in aid, calling the current supply grossly inadequate.
Gaza’s war has resulted in the deaths of nearly 55,600 Palestinians and displaced almost the entire population, according to Gaza health officials. Amid ongoing suffering, many Palestinians expressed conflicted feelings about the Israel-Iran conflict, seeing it as a shift of attention while their own crisis remains unresolved.
“People are being slaughtered in Gaza, but the world looks away,” said a resident. Others, like Shaban Abed, hope for a broader resolution that includes peace in Gaza, fearing they are becoming a forgotten part of the geopolitical puzzle.