In a tragic escalation on Wednesday in southern Gaza, at least 20 Palestinians lost their lives at an aid distribution center run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). Witnesses described a sudden panic and a deadly crush outside a relief point in Khan Younis, which GHF says was incited by armed agitators. The Gaza health ministry pointed to tear gas firing as the trigger for the fatal stampede.
Conflicting accounts have emerged: GHF, backed by Israel, reports that 19 people were trampled and one was stabbed during unrest fueled by individuals affiliated with Hamas. Palestinian health officials, however, say 21 people suffocated in the chaos. One medic at the scene described crowds crushed into a confined space after tear gas spread through the lines.
The U.N. rights office in Geneva has documented at least 875 fatalities near aid sites and food convoys in Gaza over the past six weeks, with the majority of incidents occurring close to GHF distribution points. Most of these deaths are blamed on gunfire that locals attribute to Israeli forces, who have since issued new rules of engagement after admitting civilian harm around aid sites.
Meanwhile, the conflict has spilled over into Syria. The Israeli military reported striking the entrance gate of the Syrian military headquarters in Damascus, and Syria’s state news agency said Israeli drones targeted Sweida. These moves come as Israel continues to press operations to disrupt militant networks across borders.
In diplomatic fallout, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee urged an “aggressive” probe into the killing of an American citizen allegedly beaten by settlers in the West Bank. At the same time, the U.N. refugee agency warns that one in ten children screened in its Gaza clinics since 2024 has shown signs of malnutrition.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas cautioned that the bloc may consider measures against Israel if the humanitarian conditions in Gaza do not markedly improve. As civilians bear the brunt of intensified military moves, global observers are calling for urgent steps to protect relief efforts and avert further loss of life.
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More Gazan deaths at aid site as Israel continues attacks in Syria
cgtn.com
