Israeli fire kills 30 Palestinians at Gaza aid center

Shafaq News/ At least 30 Palestinians were killed and over 120 wounded on Saturday when Israeli forces opened fire on thousands of civilians gathered at a US-run aid distribution center in western Rafah, according to Gaza health officials.

The attack comes amid an intensifying humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The United Nations warned that the territory is now “the most food-insecure place on Earth,” with 100% of the population at risk of famine. Aid agencies report severe disruptions to deliveries, with only 600 out of 900 authorized trucks managing to enter Gaza in recent days, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

UNRWA said it has supplies in Amman ready to feed 200,000 people for an entire month, but bureaucratic and security hurdles have blocked aid shipments. The new aid distribution system—replacing UN agencies with a US company operating under Israeli military protection—has also stoked protests, with Palestinians storming aid centers to seize basic supplies.

Hamas has slammed the new system as a “criminal manipulation” of Gaza’s basic needs and accused Israel of using hunger as a weapon. The group called on the UN Security Council to enforce an end to what it called “fascist aggression” and to ensure safe aid delivery under UN oversight.

The deadly aid center strike coincides with faltering diplomatic efforts. US special envoy Steve Witkoff recently presented a 60-day ceasefire proposal to Hamas.

However, while Hamas submitted a response, Witkoff rejected it outright, saying in a post on X, “It’s unacceptable and only takes us backward.” Hamas, for its part, offered a phased release of 10 living Israeli hostages and 18 bodies in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, reiterating its demands for a permanent truce, a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and unobstructed humanitarian aid—none of which were in the US proposal.

The diplomatic impasse and rising violence come as the UN and aid agencies warn of an imminent famine in Gaza. A joint report from the UN and international partners says hunger and malnutrition have sharply worsened since March 2, when aid deliveries were halted and Israeli strikes intensified. The casualty toll of the Gaza war that began on October 7, 2023, now stands at 54,000 Palestinians killed and more than 124,000 injured.

The report has been updated to include the latest casualty figures.