Israeli airstrikes and shootings near aid site in Gaza kill 52 Palestinians

ISRAELI AIRSTRIKES KILLED at least 28 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, including four children, hospital officials said today, while 24 others were fatally shot on their way to aid distribution sites.

The children and two women were among at least 13 people who were killed in Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza, after Israeli airstrikes pounded the area starting late yesterday, officials in Al-Aqsa Martyr’s Hospital said.

Fifteen others died in Israeli airstrikes in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, according to Nasser Hospital.

The military did not respond to The Associated Press’s request for comment on the civilian deaths.

Separately, at least 24 people were killed on their way to a food distribution site near Rafah, said hospital officials and witnesses, including those wounded.

The Israeli military said it had fired warning shots toward people it said were behaving suspiciously to prevent them from approaching. It added it was not aware of any casualties from the incident.

Witnesses there said they were on their way to the site seeking food and were shot at.

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The ministry, which is under Gaza’s Hamas-run government, does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count.

The UN and other international organisations see its figures as the most reliable statistics on war casualties.

US President Donald Trump has said that he is closing in on another ceasefire agreement that would see more hostages released and potentially wind down the war.

But after two days of talks this week with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu there were no signs of a breakthrough.

In Gaza, there is now a critical shortage of fuel, the United Nations has warned. For the first time in 130 days, a small amount entered the war-torn territory this week.

“Fuel is the backbone of survival in Gaza,” a statement issued today on behalf of eight major global organisations, including UNWRA and the WHO, said.

“It powers hospitals, water systems, sanitation networks, ambulances, and every aspect of humanitarian operations. Fuel supplies are needed to move the fleet used for transporting essential goods across the Strip and to operate a network of bakeries producing fresh bread for the affected population.

“Without fuel, these lifelines will vanish for 2.1 million people,” the collective said, adding that the population is already teetering on the edge of starvation.

Includes reporting by Emma Hickey