By Harun Nasrullah
London, (The Muslim News): At least 55,908 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza since the launch of Israel’s genocidal war in October 2023, the Gaza Health Ministry announced on Saturday. In the past 48 hours alone, 202 bodies were brought to hospitals, while 1,037 others were injured, raising the total number of wounded to 131,138 amid relentless Israeli bombardment.
The latest attacks have left dozens more dead, particularly among Palestinians attempting to access food and basic necessities. The growing pattern of deadly violence at aid distribution points reflects the extreme risks civilians face under Israel’s siege.
On Saturday, 26 people were killed, including 11 civilians shot while waiting at distribution centres operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an organisation backed by the US and Israel.
The United Nations has condemned the process as the “weaponisation of humanitarian aid,” warning that life-saving assistance is being politicised and used as a tool of warfare.
Israeli airstrikes also targeted designated “safe zones.” In al-Mawasi, southern Gaza, three members of the Shurrab family were killed when their shelter was bombed, despite the area having been marked safe by the Israeli military.
Eyewitnesses and humanitarian organisations reject Israeli claims that the violence is aimed at crowd control. Many incidents have been described as unprovoked and deliberate, turning basic survival efforts into deadly encounters.
In western Rafah, Israeli forces opened fire on people waiting for aid, killing six and injuring at least 10 others. In central Gaza, five more Palestinians were killed and 15 wounded near the al-Shohada Junction in Nuseirat.
Residential areas were also hit. An airstrike killed three people in the Zaytoun neighbourhood of southern Gaza City, while in Shuja’iyya, three brothers were killed in a strike on al-Mansoura Street. On the same street, three children were killed and another critically wounded while playing outside their home.
The humanitarian situation has worsened since 7 May, when Israel began bypassing established UN and international aid agencies, distributing limited relief through the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. The UN has rejected this approach, but with no alternatives, Palestinians are forced to risk their lives for aid.
“Many victims remain trapped under rubble and on the roads. Rescue teams cannot reach them due to ongoing Israeli strikes,” said a Health Ministry spokesperson, underscoring the collapse of emergency services under the siege.
[Photo: Relatives mourn loss of their near and dear ones killed by Israeli forces on various areas of Khan Yunis, Gaza, on June 22, 2025. Funeral ceremony was held at Nasser Hospital. Photojournalist: Abed Rahim Khatib/AA]
