UN records 613 killings in Gaza near humanitarian convoys or aid distribution points
What they are witnessing is that we, we've almost entered *** new phase of, of this war. Um, that's at least what it feels like. We're really at the worst point that we've ever been at, um, in, in this humanitarian crisis of over 20 months, and that is not just because of the incessant bombardments and, and the displacements, uh, currently less than. Then 18% of the territory of the Gaza Strip is not under displacement order or not designated as *** military zone, but It's really um because of, of the combination of hunger and thirst, um, and, and these images that we see coming out of Gaza, um, people having to risk their lives to, to get their hands on, on *** little bit of, of food. Um, everyone that my colleagues come across is, is hungry, um, is thirsty. Uh, the, the water production facilities are operating roughly at, at 150. percent capacity because since electricity was cut off from the Gaza Strip at the beginning of this war, these facilities are completely reliant on fuel to desalinate water, to pump water up, and then also to to distribute it. And fuel is as scarce as, as anything else in in the Gaza Strip today. So we're looking at this situation of engineering. Years, man-made scarcity that has driven population really into, into panic and into despair. My, my colleague James, um, just, just two weeks ago, um, interviewed children who had gotten injured very badly actually, at, at food distribution sites. But some of these children have, have sadly passed away in, in the meantime because healthcare is also So not really available anymore. Hospitals are just overwhelmed by the constant inflow of of wounded, and there's *** shortage of of everything medicines, and medical equipment, medical supplies. Um, so that's why we're humanitarians, any humanitarian you'll talk to today will, will tell you um that the situation has, has reached *** new low. We're really hitting *** rock bottom and key is here that it doesn't have to be this way. We have supplies ready to, to, to bring in um specialized nutrition supplies, hygiene supplies, nappies for babies, sanitary pads, uh, for, for women and girls, um, but we're, we're not authorized to bring all of those supplies in, and we're also only authorized to bring in limited quantities, very select, uh, supplies. So, so this is what is really exacerbating the crisis.
UN records 613 killings in Gaza near humanitarian convoys or aid distribution points
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Updated: 5:38 AM CDT Jul 4, 2025
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Israeli airstrikes killed 15 Palestinians in Gaza early on Friday, while another 20 people died in shootings while waiting for aid, the hospital morgue that received their bodies told The Associated Press.Meanwhile, the U.N. human rights office said on Friday it has recorded 613 killings in Gaza near humanitarian convoys and at aid distribution points run by an Israeli-backed American organization since it first began operations in late May.Spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said the rights office was not able to attribute responsibility for the killings. But she said “it is clear that the Israeli military has shelled and shot at Palestinians trying to reach the distribution points” operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.Those killed in Friday's strikes included eight women and one child. Nasser Hospital said of those who were killed in shootings, two died near aid distribution sites in Rafah and 18 were waiting for trucks to deliver supplies elsewhere in southern Gaza.Israel’s military did not immediately provide comment on the strikes.Israel’s military said a soldier was killed in combat in the north of Gaza and it was investigating. Over 860 Israeli soldiers have been killed since the war began, including more than 400 during the fighting in Gaza.The recent killings took place as efforts to halt the 21-month war appeared to be moving forward.Hamas said Friday that it was holding discussions with leaders of other Palestinian factions to discuss a ceasefire proposal presented to it by Egyptian and Qatari mediators. Trump said Tuesday that Israel had agreed on terms for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza and urged Hamas to accept the deal before conditions worsen.Hamas will give its final response to mediators after the discussions have concluded, the statement said.The Health Ministry in Gaza said the number of Palestinians killed in the territory has passed 57,000. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count, but says more than half of the dead are women and children.The war began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking roughly 250 hostages.According to Palestinian witnesses and Gaza’s Health Ministry, several hundred people have been killed or wounded by Israeli troops when trying to reach the aid sites since they opened in May.The military has repeatedly said it’s fired only warning shots, denies deliberately firing towards civilians, and says it’s looking into reports of civilian harm.
DEIR al-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli airstrikes killed 15 Palestinians in Gaza early on Friday, while another 20 people died in shootings while waiting for aid, the hospital morgue that received their bodies told The Associated Press.
Meanwhile, the U.N. human rights office said on Friday it has recorded 613 killings in Gaza near humanitarian convoys and at aid distribution points run by an Israeli-backed American organization since it first began operations in late May.
Spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said the rights office was not able to attribute responsibility for the killings. But she said “it is clear that the Israeli military has shelled and shot at Palestinians trying to reach the distribution points” operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
Those killed in Friday's strikes included eight women and one child. Nasser Hospital said of those who were killed in shootings, two died near aid distribution sites in Rafah and 18 were waiting for trucks to deliver supplies elsewhere in southern Gaza.
Israel’s military did not immediately provide comment on the strikes.
Israel’s military said a soldier was killed in combat in the north of Gaza and it was investigating. Over 860 Israeli soldiers have been killed since the war began, including more than 400 during the fighting in Gaza.
The recent killings took place as efforts to halt the 21-month war appeared to be moving forward.
Hamas said Friday that it was holding discussions with leaders of other Palestinian factions to discuss a ceasefire proposal presented to it by Egyptian and Qatari mediators.
Trump said Tuesday that Israel had agreed on terms for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza and urged Hamas to accept the deal before conditions worsen.
Hamas will give its final response to mediators after the discussions have concluded, the statement said.
The Health Ministry in Gaza said the number of Palestinians killed in the territory has passed 57,000. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count, but says more than half of the dead are women and children.
The war began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking roughly 250 hostages.
According to Palestinian witnesses and Gaza’s Health Ministry, several hundred people have been killed or wounded by Israeli troops when trying to reach the aid sites since they opened in May.
The military has repeatedly said it’s fired only warning shots, denies deliberately firing towards civilians, and says it’s looking into reports of civilian harm.
