DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — The Gaza Strip was subjected to intense Israeli strikes overnight, resulting in the deaths of at least 20 Palestinians, as reported by local health officials. The ongoing conflict with Hamas, now lasting 20 months, continues unabated while Israel has extended its military campaign with significant strikes against Iran. This escalation has led to retaliatory military responses involving drones and missiles.
Israel has faced criticism as another 11 Palestinians were killed overnight in the vicinity of food distribution points. These sites are managed by a humanitarian group supported by both Israel and the U.S. The latest incident is part of an almost daily pattern of gunfire near these distribution areas, which have been operational since last month. While Palestinian witnesses claim that Israeli forces have been directly targeting the crowds, the military insists that only warning shots have been fired towards individuals they perceive as potential threats.
The locations of these distribution points are within military zones, which restrict access for independent media. Israel’s military confirmed that it fired warning shots at a group near its troops around the Netzarim corridor and used an aircraft to target a person who continued advancing.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), responsible for operating these aid sites, announced closures on Saturday due to the tensions. Despite this, large crowds reportedly gathered near the sites, driven by the severe food shortages resulting from Israel’s blockade and military actions.
Al-Awda Hospital confirmed receiving eight deceased individuals and at least 125 injured from gunfire near a GHF site in central Gaza. Mohamed Abu Hussein from the nearby Bureij refugee camp described an incident where Israeli troops fired upon a crowd roughly a kilometer from a distribution point, resulting in several injuries.
In Khan Younis, located in southern Gaza, Nasser Hospital dealt with 16 fatalities, including five women, connected to multiple strikes late Friday and early Saturday. Gunfire near two aid sites in Rafah also left three men dead. However, the Israeli military stated it was not aware of any such incidents in Rafah at that time. Additionally, an Israeli strike in Deir al-Balah resulted in four casualties, as reported by Al-Aqsa Hospital.
The Israeli military reported that two projectiles from Gaza landed harmlessly in open areas, causing no injuries.
Israel and the United States have introduced a new aid distribution system, replacing a previous U.N.-managed network that had been operational throughout the duration of the conflict. They claim the prior system was susceptible to misappropriation by Hamas to finance militant operations. However, U.N. officials argue that significant diversion of aid by Hamas did not occur and criticize the new system for failing to address increasing needs. The U.N. suggests the system has been compromised by military influence and logistical challenges due to military restrictions and instability, further complicating aid delivery despite attempts to mitigate the blockade’s impact.
The conflict initially erupted with Hamas’s raid in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people—primarily civilians—and the abduction of 251 people. While some hostages have been released under ceasefire agreements, 53 remain captive. Israel’s counteractions have caused over 55,000 Palestinian deaths, as reported by Gaza’s Health Ministry, noting that women and children constitute more than half of the casualties.
The conflict has broadly impacted Gaza, devastating infrastructure, and displacing around 90% of its approximately 2 million residents. The displacement has increased reliance on international assistance. Furthermore, Iran and its affiliates have become involved, leading to significant regional unrest and prompting Israel to launch attacks on Iran’s nuclear and military facilities on Friday.