At least 52 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip in the last 24 hours, with 28 fatalities attributed to Israeli airstrikes and 24 others fatally shot while attempting to reach aid distribution sites. This surge in casualties comes amidst stalled ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas.
According to Palestinian hospital officials and witnesses, the airstrikes, which began late Friday, killed at least 13 people, including four children, in central Gaza’s Deir al-Balah. Another 15 individuals died in airstrikes in Khan Younis, in the south. The Israeli military stated on Saturday that its troops had struck approximately 250 targets in the Gaza Strip over the past 48 hours, including militants, booby-trapped structures, weapons storage facilities, and tunnels.
The additional 24 deaths occurred as Palestinians sought aid near Rafah in southern Gaza. Hospital officials and witnesses reported that these individuals were shot while on their way to a distribution site run by an Israeli-backed American organization. The Israeli military acknowledged firing warning shots towards individuals it deemed suspicious to prevent them from approaching, but stated it was unaware of any casualties from the incident. Witnesses, however, described an Israeli tank firing at crowds. Sumaya al-Sha’er recounted her 17-year-old son, Nasir, being killed while trying to get flour for their family.
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens Amidst Stalled Talks
The 21-month conflict has left over 2 million Gaza residents heavily reliant on external aid, with food security experts warning of famine. Aid entry has been severely restricted by Israel since the collapse of the last ceasefire in March. United Nations and aid groups report significant difficulties in distributing humanitarian aid due to Israeli military restrictions and a breakdown of law and order, leading to widespread looting. A joint statement by UN aid bodies this week highlighted the critical fuel shortage in Gaza, with the first substantial delivery in 130 days still a small fraction of what is needed.
These latest deaths underscore the grim reality in Gaza, where ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas have shown no signs of a breakthrough following recent meetings between U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump had indicated he was nearing an agreement that would involve the release of more hostages and potentially wind down the war. Hamas still reportedly holds around 50 hostages, with at least 20 believed to be alive.
West Bank Fatalities
In a separate development, Palestinian-American Seifeddin Musalat and his local friend Mohammed al-Shalabi were killed in the Israeli-occupied West Bank by Israeli settlers, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. Musalat’s cousin stated he was beaten to death on his family’s land, and paramedics were blocked from reaching him. The Musalat family is demanding a U.S. State Department investigation. The Israeli military said Palestinians had hurled rocks at Israelis in the area prior to the confrontation.
Overall, Israel’s offensive, sparked by Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack, has killed over 57,800 Palestinians, more than half of whom are women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
