Over 30 Palestinians Killed While Awaiting Aid in Gaza, Scores Injured

A humanitarian tragedy unfolded in central Gaza as more than 30 Palestinians were killed and over 100 injured while waiting for food aid near the Nuseirat refugee camp. The incident, described by Gaza’s Civil Defence Ministry as a “massacre,” occurred amid escalating conflict and a deteriorating humanitarian situation.

According to local authorities, the casualties occurred when Israeli forces opened fire near a location where civilians had gathered to receive humanitarian aid. Eyewitnesses recounted scenes of panic and terror as aid trucks approached, only to be met with gunfire and chaos. Families, including children and the elderly, had reportedly queued for hours in extreme heat before violence erupted.

Medical teams rushed to the scene, transporting the injured to overcrowded hospitals that are already struggling due to severe shortages of medical supplies and electricity. Civil Defence officials noted that many victims had also suffered from dehydration and exhaustion, exacerbating the severity of injuries.

This latest incident underscores the increasingly perilous conditions under which humanitarian assistance is being distributed in Gaza. With food, water, and medicine in critically short supply, large crowds have been gathering around aid trucks, often without proper coordination or security assurances.

International humanitarian organizations have repeatedly warned about the breakdown of civil order in Gaza, urging for the establishment of safe corridors for aid delivery. The United Nations has called for immediate action to ensure that civilians are protected and that aid can reach those in desperate need without interference.

The Israeli military has not issued a detailed statement on the incident, but tensions remain high as military operations continue in various parts of the enclave. The humanitarian toll of the ongoing conflict has reached alarming levels, with over 30,000 Palestinians killed since the conflict escalated, according to Gaza’s health officials.

The Nuseirat incident has drawn fresh international condemnation and intensified calls for a ceasefire. Aid groups emphasize that unless protected and coordinated aid delivery mechanisms are enforced, the risk to civilian life in Gaza will only increase in the coming days.