In Gaza, emergency aid points remain targets of Israeli attacks. On Tuesday, dozens of Palestinians were killed by shelling in the city of Khan Younis while waiting for food.
According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, at least 51 people have died. Dozens more were injured. The ministry is controlled by Hamas, but the figures are generally considered reasonably reliable by the United Nations. They have not been independently verified.
During the shelling with Israeli tanks, desperate Palestinians were scattered. They were waiting for trucks to bring emergency aid. The death toll is expected to rise: according to aid workers, many injured are in critical condition.
Many have been taken to the Nasser hospital. But resources there are almost exhausted. The hospital is “overwhelmed” by the number of dead and wounded brought in.
The attack took place at a aid distribution point of the Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) in Khan Younis. That controversial organization provides food and other emergency aid to people in Gaza. The aid points are continuously targeted by Israeli attacks. On Monday, at least twenty people were killed in an attack on an aid post in Rafah after shelling.
GHF did not take safety measures
The GHF closed the points earlier due to a lack of security. The organization wanted more safety measures and clear guidelines from the Israeli army. But shortly afterwards the distribution points were reopened, while no significant measures had been taken.
So far, about three hundred people have been killed by attacks on food aid. Also, 2,600 people have now been injured.
According to aid organizations, the attacks in Gaza continue unabated. According to a spokesperson for the Red Cross, the situation is overshadowed by the news about the increased tensions between Israel and Iran.
But also in Gaza the situation is still serious. “The field hospital of the Red Cross is doing very badly,” says the spokesperson. “The number of injured brought in every day is bizarre. Aid workers can hardly keep up.”