Israeli forces kill 33 in Gaza, as aid crisis continues

Israeli gunfire killed 33 individuals in Gaza on June 18th, including nearly 12 seeking aid from an Israeli-supported group, according to The New Arab plus agencies.

The civil defence representative, Mahmoud Bassal, informed AFP that Israeli forces killed 11 individuals and more than 100 were injured “after the occupation forces opened fire and launched several shells… at thousands of citizens” awaiting food in Gaza.

Israel’s army told AFP its troops operating in central Gaza observed people described as “suspicious” advancing in a way that suggests a military “threat.”

The civil defence agency reported 19 more deaths in three Israeli attacks on June 18th, which struck homes and a shelter for refugees.

Earlier, on June 17th, Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry confirmed that 51 people died while awaiting aid in Khan Younis. The UN said partner groups reported that the death count exceeded 60, the BBC reported. Eyewitnesses informed the BBC that Israeli tanks and drones launched attacks as crowds assembled near a charity hub and a UN World Food Programme storage site.

The health ministry stated that nearly 400 individuals lost their lives trying to obtain aid since May 26th, when the Israel and US-supported Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) launched the first of three supply centres.

Meanwhile, the number of Palestinian fatalities in the Gaza conflict, which started on October 7th, 2023, reached 55,493, according to Middle East Eye. As Maghrebi reported, the Palestinian Ministry of Health verified that at least 129,320 individuals were wounded. The ministry recorded 5,194 additional deaths and 17,279 injuries since March 18th.

The New Arab plus agencies, AFP, BBC, Maghrebi, Middle East Eye