At least 59 Palestinians were killed in Gaza on Saturday as Israeli forces opened fire near an aid distribution site and continued airstrikes across the territory, according to Palestinian hospital officials and eyewitnesses.
Thirty-one people were fatally shot while heading to a food distribution site operated by the American organization Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) near Rafah. Witnesses and hospital officials said the victims were seeking basic supplies amid ongoing humanitarian shortages.
The Red Cross reported that its field hospital received the highest number of casualties in over a year, with more than 100 people injured—most suffering from gunshot wounds. One mother, Sumaya Al-Sha’er, said her 17-year-old son, Nasir, was among the dead. "He told me he’d go bring flour even if it cost him his life. But he never came back," she said.
Airstrikes also killed at least 28 more Palestinians on Saturday, including four children. Thirteen people died in Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza and 15 in Khan Younis in the south, hospital officials reported. Intense bombing also continued in northern Gaza’s Beit Hanoun area.
Despite escalating casualties, ceasefire talks remain stalled. After two days of meetings between U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, no progress has been made. Trump earlier claimed a potential deal was nearing.
The Israeli military said it had fired warning shots at individuals it claimed were behaving suspiciously but stated it was unaware of casualties. The GHF denied any incidents occurred at its distribution points. However, two GHF contractors told the Associated Press that some colleagues had fired live ammunition and stun grenades at civilians, allegations the organization denies.
Aid distribution efforts continue to face challenges. The UN and humanitarian groups say military restrictions and lawlessness have disrupted operations, while looting remains widespread. Fuel entered Gaza this week for the first time in 130 days, but UN agencies called the 150,000 liters "insufficient" for sustaining essential services like hospitals and water systems.
The war, triggered by Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people and led to the abduction of 251, has now killed over 57,800 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and fighters, though international agencies consider its figures the most reliable available.
Thirty-one people were fatally shot while heading to a food distribution site operated by the American organization Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) near Rafah. Witnesses and hospital officials said the victims were seeking basic supplies amid ongoing humanitarian shortages.
The Red Cross reported that its field hospital received the highest number of casualties in over a year, with more than 100 people injured—most suffering from gunshot wounds. One mother, Sumaya Al-Sha’er, said her 17-year-old son, Nasir, was among the dead. "He told me he’d go bring flour even if it cost him his life. But he never came back," she said.
Airstrikes also killed at least 28 more Palestinians on Saturday, including four children. Thirteen people died in Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza and 15 in Khan Younis in the south, hospital officials reported. Intense bombing also continued in northern Gaza’s Beit Hanoun area.
Despite escalating casualties, ceasefire talks remain stalled. After two days of meetings between U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, no progress has been made. Trump earlier claimed a potential deal was nearing.
The Israeli military said it had fired warning shots at individuals it claimed were behaving suspiciously but stated it was unaware of casualties. The GHF denied any incidents occurred at its distribution points. However, two GHF contractors told the Associated Press that some colleagues had fired live ammunition and stun grenades at civilians, allegations the organization denies.
Aid distribution efforts continue to face challenges. The UN and humanitarian groups say military restrictions and lawlessness have disrupted operations, while looting remains widespread. Fuel entered Gaza this week for the first time in 130 days, but UN agencies called the 150,000 liters "insufficient" for sustaining essential services like hospitals and water systems.
The war, triggered by Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people and led to the abduction of 251, has now killed over 57,800 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and fighters, though international agencies consider its figures the most reliable available.
