Gaza food deliveries paused after US-Israeli backed group attack

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    DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip – Food distribution has been temporarily halted at three sites in the Gaza Strip by an organization supported by Israel and the United States. This decision follows reports from health officials of multiple casualties near these sites due to recent violent incidents. Concurrently, Israeli airstrikes across the region have resulted in the deaths of 26 individuals from Tuesday night to Wednesday, according to local authorities.

    The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) is currently negotiating with the Israeli military to implement measures aiming to better manage foot traffic around the aid distribution centers. Discussions are also focusing on enhancing military training procedures to ensure the safety of civilians.

    The halt in food distribution comes after Israeli forces confirmed firing upon groups moving towards a GHF site in Rafah, a largely evacuated southern city, which is designated as a military zone and thus inaccessible to independent media. According to Gaza health officials, the Red Cross, and the United Nations rights office, 27 individuals lost their lives on Tuesday. Eyewitness accounts have attributed these casualties to actions by the Israeli forces. The Israeli military claims it cautioned what it labeled as suspected individuals with warning shots and is now investigating the reported fatalities.

    Hospital officials have stated that over 80 people have been killed around these distribution sites or on their way to them since the sites commenced operations last week. This includes numerous deaths from similar incidents on Sunday and Monday when the military also admitted to firing warning shots.

    The GHF asserts that while no violence has occurred within the sites themselves, the journey poses significant risks. Many Palestinians traverse the path to aid locations on foot early in the morning, navigating through areas near Israeli military forces in the pre-dawn hours in search of food and to avoid large crowds. The foundation has requested that Israel’s military, the Israel Defense Forces, outlines measures to safely guide civilian movement and reduce the risk of confusion or conflict near military zones. Furthermore, they have called for clear IDF guidelines to ensure civilian passage and to bolster IDF training and internal procedures for civilian protection.

    Additionally, a separate incident involving Israeli airstrikes led to the deaths of at least 26 individuals late Tuesday and early Wednesday, hospital officials reported. One such strike targeted a tent in Gaza City, resulting in the deaths of seven people, among them two women and a 7-year-old girl, according to Shifa Hospital. The military is reviewing these reports, maintaining that their targets were militants and attributing civilian casualties to the presence of Hamas within populated areas.

    The contentious new aid delivery system, endorsed by Israel and the United States, aims to prevent Hamas from intercepting aid to support its operations. Despite no accusations that Hamas fired near GHF sites, Israel backs the system, which concentrates aid distribution to prevent misuse. However, the U.N. disputes the necessity for such a system, saying its longstanding aid mechanisms prevent Hamas from usurping supplies. The U.N. criticizes the new system for breaching humanitarian principles by allowing Israel to dictate aid distribution and compelling Palestinians to travel to only three specific hubs, two located in Rafah.

    Tom Fletcher, the U.N. humanitarian chief, expressed concern over the dire situation for Palestinians, urging a significant increase in aid through the U.N.’s established system. This appeal follows Israel’s comprehensive blockade on imports lifted partially in May. Despite the alleviation, ongoing restrictions, internal unrest, and rampant looting continue to obstruct aid efforts.

    The region faces the threat of famine due to Israel’s enduring blockade and relentless military operations, particularly since its resurgence in March following the collapse of a truce. Israel asserts its heightened campaign aims to pressure Hamas into accepting ceasefire conditions more favorable to Israel.

    The conflict originated on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants commenced an attack in southern Israel, resulting in over 1,200 fatalities, predominantly civilians, and taking 251 hostages. Currently, 58 hostages are still held, with around a third thought to be alive. Israel’s ongoing offensive in Gaza has reportedly resulted in approximately 54,000 deaths, largely women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, although distinctions between civilian and militant casualties aren’t provided. U.N. entities and experts regard these figures as predominantly credible, yet Israel contests these statistics, having claimed the deaths of about 20,000 militants without offering proof. The extensive offensive has ravaged vast areas of Gaza, displacing almost 90% of its residents and rendering them heavily dependent on global relief efforts.