At least 30 Palestinians killed waiting for aid in Gaza, civil defense reports

Israeli gunfire has left at least 30 Palestinians dead as they waited for humanitarian assistance in northern Gaza, according to reports from the Hamas-run civil defense agency. The incident, occurring Wednesday, also saw around 300 individuals wounded. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged they fired "warning shots" but claimed they were unaware of any casualties linked to their fire, stating that they are still investigating the event.Casualty reports vary, with Mohammed Abu Salmiya, director of al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, stating that 35 bodies had been received at the facility post-incident, a number that later rose to at least 48 according to the Associated Press. Hospital sources also reported that six additional Palestinians were killed near a humanitarian distribution center in the Rafah area, though local humanitarian organizations claimed no violence occurred at their sites.The IDF characterized the gathering near the aid trucks, located roughly 3 kilometers southwest of the Zikim crossing, as a "gathering of suspects" and stated they issued warnings for the individuals to disperse prior to initiating fire at a distance from the distribution area.The ongoing conflict has taken a catastrophic toll on civilians in Gaza, with more than 1,000 deaths occurring while Palestinians were attempting to access food aid since late May, as reported by the UN. Furthermore, more than 150 fatalities have been attributed to malnutrition since the onset of the Israel-Hamas war in October, with a heartbreaking toll of 89 children among the dead, as per Gaza's health ministry statistics.UN-backed food security experts have raised alarms regarding the escalating humanitarian crisis, asserting that Gaza is currently experiencing a worst-case famine scenario. Israel recently announced limited "tactical pauses" in military operations to facilitate aid delivery, yet claims of unrestricted access to aid are contested by some European nations and the UN.The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed urgent need for increased aid flow into Gaza, stating, “the trickle of aid must become an ocean.” He called for essential supplies—food, water, medicine, and fuel—to be delivered without hindrance, emphasizing the dire situation faced by those in the enclave.As discussions regarding the humanitarian situation continue, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is set to travel to Israel. Concurrently, Canada announced its plans to recognize a Palestinian state at the upcoming UN General Assembly, following similar actions from France and the UK, positioning the nation as the third G7 member to take this step. Reports indicate that over 60,000 Palestinians have died during the Israeli military campaign since October, with shocking losses including approximately 18,592 children and 9,782 women due to the ongoing hostilities initiated after the Hamas-led attack in early October.