At least 73 Palestinians were killed and approximately 150 others were wounded on Saturday after Israeli troops opened fire at multiple locations across Gaza, where civilians had assembled in large numbers to receive humanitarian aid, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
The most fatal incident took place in northern Gaza near the Zikim area, not far from the Israeli border. Crowds of Palestinians had gathered early in the day after hearing reports that aid trucks carrying flour, canned food, and bottled water would be arriving. As people surged forward, Israeli soldiers stationed nearby opened fire, triggering panic and leading to mass casualties.
Dr. Mohammed Abu Salmiya, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in the north, said the facility had received dozens of bodies and was treating over 80 wounded. “The majority of the injuries were caused by live ammunition,” he told reporters. “Some of the wounded arrived in critical condition. Many will not survive.”
The Israeli military acknowledged in a statement on Saturday night that its forces had fired on groups near aid distribution areas. The military claimed that some in the crowd posed a “threat to Israeli personnel” and said it was investigating the incident. “IDF troops responded to a perceived danger,” the statement read. “We are assessing the circumstances.”
But Palestinian witnesses and local officials rejected that account, saying the crowd consisted almost entirely of unarmed civilians desperate for food.
“There were no fighters, no weapons, no threats, just hungry people waiting since dawn,” said Mahmoud Issa, a resident of Beit Lahia who was near the scene. “They were shot for trying to survive.”
Saturday’s shooting adds to growing international concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, where more than 80 percent of the population has been displaced by the ongoing conflict. Aid groups have repeatedly warned that food insecurity is reaching famine-like levels in parts of the enclave, especially in the north, where access remains severely restricted.
The Gaza Health Ministry, which is administered by Hamas, said the overall death toll from the conflict has now exceeded 58,000, with more than 140,000 wounded. The figures could not be independently verified, but United Nations agencies say the numbers are consistent with the scale of destruction and hospital reporting across the Strip.
In addition to the shootings near Zikim, Palestinian officials said at least six more people were killed by Israeli fire in Khan Younis on Saturday, including a child. That incident occurred amid a new wave of evacuation orders issued by the Israeli military, which called on residents of several central and southern districts to move further south.
The Israel Defense Forces said the orders were part of “ongoing operational activity” aimed at targeting Hamas infrastructure and reducing civilian casualties. However, humanitarian agencies said the repeated displacement orders were making aid delivery almost impossible.
“Each time we set up a distribution point, it becomes unsafe within hours,” said Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of UNRWA, the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees. “People are dying not just from bombs and bullets, but from hunger and dehydration.”
Access to Gaza for international observers remains limited. Aid convoys entering the territory through Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings have faced significant delays and logistical hurdles. The World Food Programme reported earlier this week that only a fraction of the needed supplies are reaching the enclave, while fuel shortages continue to paralyze hospitals and water treatment facilities.
The Trump administration, which has faced criticism for its continued military aid to Israel, has yet to issue a formal response to Saturday’s shootings. U.S. officials have previously urged Israel to ensure humanitarian access and minimize civilian harm, but have stopped short of calling for a ceasefire.
In Europe, officials in France and Ireland renewed calls for international protection mechanisms to safeguard aid distribution efforts. “The international community cannot stand by as civilians are gunned down while queuing for food,” said Irish Foreign Minister Micheál Martin in a statement.
Inside Gaza, survivors are left with few options.
“I came here to get something to eat for my children,” said Layla al-Najjar, a mother of four who was injured in the leg. “Now I have nothing. Not even my dignity.”
Hospitals in Gaza’s north are reportedly operating with dwindling resources. Medical staff at Kamal Adwan, Al-Awda, and Indonesian hospitals say they are overwhelmed and lack trauma kits, anesthesia, and electricity to conduct surgeries.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has called for the immediate establishment of secure aid corridors and the protection of civilians under international law.
“The right to food, medical care, and protection during conflict is not negotiable,” said OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke in Geneva. “What happened in Gaza today is unacceptable and must be investigated.”
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