Israeli forces killed at least 23 Palestinians on Sunday as they sought food aid in Gaza, according to hospital officials and eyewitnesses. The deaths occurred near multiple distribution points across the besieged territory, as the humanitarian crisis deepens and the number of malnutrition-related fatalities continues to rise. Gaza’s 2 million residents are grappling with extreme food shortages, with experts warning of an imminent famine caused by Israel’s blockade and prolonged military campaign. Eyewitnesses describe gunfire near aid sites Speaking to the Associated Press in southern Gaza

Israeli forces killed at least 23 Palestinians on Sunday as they sought food aid in Gaza, according to hospital officials and eyewitnesses. The deaths occurred near multiple distribution points across the besieged territory, as the humanitarian crisis deepens and the number of malnutrition-related fatalities continues to rise. Gaza’s 2 million residents are grappling with extreme food shortages, with experts warning of an imminent famine caused by Israel’s blockade and prolonged military campaign.

Eyewitnesses describe gunfire near aid sites

Speaking to the

Associated Press

in southern Gaza, Yousef Abed, who was among a crowd heading toward an aid site, described coming under what he called indiscriminate fire. “I couldn’t stop and help them because of the bullets,” Abed said, referring to at least three people he saw bleeding on the ground. Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza said it had received several bodies from areas near food distribution routes, including eight from Teina—about 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) from a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) site in Khan Younis. One more body came from Shakoush, near a Rafah distribution site. Another nine people were killed near the Morag corridor, the hospital reported. Three Palestinian eyewitnesses told the

Associated Press

that soldiers opened fire along the routes to the aid sites in Teina and Morag, both designated military zones secured by Israeli forces. They confirmed that troops fired on hungry crowds advancing toward the soldiers.

More deaths in central Gaza

Further north in central Gaza, at least five more people were killed and 27 wounded on Sunday morning near GHF’s fourth and northernmost distribution point, according to Awda Hospital. Hamza Matter, who was among those seeking aid at the site near the Netzarim corridor, said:

“Troops were trying to prevent people from advancing. They opened fire and we fled. Some people were shot.”

Eyewitnesses have reported similar shootings in recent days at aid distribution points, where dozens have died trying to access food.

U.N: hundreds killed near aid routes

From May 27 to July 31, the United Nations recorded 859 deaths near GHF-operated aid sites. It said hundreds more were killed along the paths taken by U.N.-led food convoys. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a private contractor backed by the U.S. and Israel, took over aid delivery in May after Israel accused the United Nations of allowing Hamas to divert aid. However, Israel has not provided evidence of widespread theft, and the U.N. has firmly denied the accusation. GHF maintains that its armed contractors only use pepper spray or fire warning shots to prevent chaos during aid distributions. Israel’s military similarly claims it fires only warning shots. Both GHF and Israeli officials say the reported death tolls have been exaggerated. On Sunday, Israel’s military did not respond to questions regarding the latest fatalities. GHF’s media office denied any gunfire near its sites.

Malnutrition-related deaths continue to rise

Meanwhile, Gaza’s health ministry reported that six more Palestinian adults died in the past 24 hours from malnutrition-related causes. Since the ministry began counting adult malnutrition deaths in late June, 82 adults have died. The ministry also confirmed that 93 children have died due to malnutrition since the start of the war in 2023. These deaths are not included in the overall war casualty figures. As aid remains limited and distribution routes increasingly dangerous, the humanitarian toll continues to grow, deepening Gaza’s crisis.

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