52 Palestinians In Gaza Are Killed By Israeli Airstrikes Or Shot Dead While Seeking Aid

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli airstrikes killed astatine slightest 28 Palestinians including 4 children successful nan Gaza Strip, while 24 others were fatally changeable connected their measurement to an assistance distribution site, Palestinian infirmary officials and witnesses said Saturday.

The children and 2 women were among astatine slightest 13 group killed successful Deir al-Balah, successful cardinal Gaza, aft Israeli airstrikes pounded nan area starting precocious Friday, officials astatine Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital said. Fifteen others died successful airstrikes successful Khan Younis successful confederate Gaza, according to Nasser Hospital.

Israel’s subject did not instantly respond to The Associated Press’ petition for comment.

At slightest 24 group were killed connected their measurement to a nutrient distribution tract adjacent Rafah tally by an Israeli-backed American organization, infirmary officials and witnesses said. Israel’s subject said it fired informing shots toward group it said were behaving suspiciously to forestall them from approaching. It said it was not alert of immoderate casualties.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said nary incident occurred adjacent its sites.

U.S. President Donald Trump has said he is closing successful connected different ceasefire statement betwixt Israel and Hamas that would bring nan merchandise of much hostages from Gaza and perchance upwind down nan war. But aft 2 days of talks this week pinch Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, there were nary signs of a breakthrough. The militant group still holds immoderate 50 hostages, pinch astatine slightest 20 believed to stay alive.

More killings adjacent American-run assistance site

The 21-month warfare has near overmuch of Gaza’s organization of complete 2 cardinal reliant connected extracurricular assistance while nutrient information experts pass of famine. Israel blocked and past restricted assistance introduction aft ending nan latest ceasefire successful March.

The fatal shootings of 24 group occurred successful nan Rafah area of confederate Gaza, hundreds of meters (yards) from nan nutrient distribution site, Israel’s subject said.

A GHF spokesperson, who said connected information of anonymity successful statement pinch nan group’s policies, said: “We checked pinch our extended squad and this incident didn’t hap adjacent our sites.”

Witnesses said they were changeable astatine while connected their measurement to nan tract seeking food.

Abdullah al-Haddad said he was 200 meters (655 feet) from nan assistance distribution tract tally by nan GHF adjacent to nan Shakoush area, westbound of Rafah, erstwhile an Israeli vessel started firing astatine crowds of Palestinians.

“We were together, and they changeable america astatine once,” he said, writhing successful symptom from a limb coiled astatine Nasser Hospital.

Mohammed Jamal al-Sahloo, different witness, said Israel’s subject had ordered them to proceed to nan tract erstwhile nan shooting started.

Sumaya al-Sha’er’s 17-year-old son, Nasir, was killed successful nan shooting, infirmary officials said.

“He said to me, ‘Mom, you don’t person flour and coming I’ll spell and bring you flour, moreover if I die, I’ll spell and get it,’” she said. “But he ne'er came backmost home.”

Until then, she said, she had prevented nan teen from going to GHF sites because she thought it was excessively dangerous. But nutrient supplies were moving out.

Witnesses, wellness officials and U.N. officials opportunity hundreds person been killed by Israeli occurrence while heading toward GHF distribution points done subject zones disconnected limits to independent media. The subject has acknowledged firing informing shots astatine Palestinians who it says approached its forces successful a suspicious manner.

The GHF denies location has been unit successful aliases astir its sites successful nan past. But 2 of its contractors told nan AP that their colleagues have fired unrecorded ammunition and stun grenades arsenic Palestinians scramble for food, allegations denied by nan foundation.

In a abstracted effort, nan U.N. and assistance groups opportunity they are struggling to administer humanitarian assistance because of Israeli subject restrictions and a breakdown of rule and bid that has led to wide looting.

The first substance — 150,000 liters — entered Gaza this week aft 130 days, a associated connection by U.N. assistance bodies said, calling it a mini magnitude for nan “the backbone of endurance successful Gaza.” Fuel runs hospitals, h2o systems, carrier and more, nan connection said.

New informing on Gaza’s coast

Israel’s subject said that complete nan past 48 hours, troops struck astir 250 targets successful Gaza including militants, booby-trapped structures, weapons retention facilities, anti-tank rocket motorboat posts, sniper posts, tunnels and further Hamas sites.

Also connected Saturday, nan subject announced strict restrictions on Gaza’s Mediterranean seashore and called connected fishermen, swimmers and divers not to spell to sea.

Hamas-led militants killed immoderate 1,200 group successful their Oct. 7, 2023, onslaught connected Israel that sparked nan warfare and abducted 251.

Israel’s retaliatory violative has killed complete 57,800 Palestinians, much than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry, which is nether Gaza’s Hamas-run government, doesn’t differentiate betwixt civilians and combatants successful its count. The U.N. and different world organizations spot its figures arsenic nan astir reliable statistic connected warfare casualties.