An Israeli airstrike that targeted Palestinian security guards who were escorting a humanitarian aid shipment in the Gaza Strip killed at least 12 and injured dozens. Al Jazeera Arabic and news agencies are reporting that the attack on Thursday hit civilian guards tasked with securing the aid convoy in the southern part of this enclave.
Medics and locals said nearly 30 were injured, many in critical condition. A video published by local Palestinian media showed bodies of the security personnel piled up in a morgue said to be from the aid convoy, west of Khan Younis.
This incident represents the latest in a line of attacks by Israeli forces against humanitarian workers and convoys attempting to facilitate the delivery of much-needed supplies into Gaza, where food shortages and fears of famine have become increasingly dire. Events have been exacerbated by an ongoing Israeli military operation and a blockade that has persisted for several weeks.
In a separate incident on Sunday night, at least 10 Palestinians were killed while waiting to buy flour in an Israeli strike in Rafah, also located in southern Gaza.
The Israeli military has yet to comment on the Friday attack against the security personnel guarding the aid convoy. Earlier the same day, six people including children were killed in the Israeli strike against a residential building in western Gaza City, and another 13 were killed in an airstrike against a house in Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. The Ministry of Health in Gaza said that at least 44,805 Palestinians have been killed and over 106,257 injured in the relentless conflict since October 7, 2023.
The attack against the security personnel came a week after the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, announced it had made the “difficult decision” to suspend aid deliveries through the main crossing into Gaza earlier this month. UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini said the continued sieges, and Israeli-imposed restrictions on top of safety concerns of aid routes, have made humanitarian operations “unnecessarily impossible.” He called for Israel to guarantee safe access for humanitarian missions and ensure that humanitarian workers are not being targeted.
Despite these challenges, Lazzarini announced on Wednesday that a joint UN aid convoy had successfully delivered urgent food supplies to 200,000 people in southern and central Gaza, following the resumption of aid through the Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) border crossing.
Mr. Lazzarini reiterated that with the required political will, it is possible to provide safe access for aid to Gaza. He urged all parties to facilitate unhindered humanitarian access so that such assistance reaches those who require it most.
After a visit to Gaza, the associate administrator of the UN’s Development Programme, Haoliang Xu, said the extent of devastation he saw is something that has never happened before in his career. He also mentioned that no fresh fruits and vegetables have been imported into the region for over a month due to the acute humanitarian crisis looming over the population.
