GAZA – Israeli forces have killed at least 92 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip on Sunday, including six children who were collecting water at a distribution point in the Nuseirat refugee camp, as critical shortages of food and clean water worsen across the besieged enclave.
According to local medical sources, the attack on the water point also left 16 others injured, amid what humanitarian observers are calling a deepening famine. The incident is one of several recent attacks on civilians gathering basic necessities, with reports of similar strikes occurring nearly ten times in recent months.
“Even though the water is often contaminated, people are so desperate they’re risking their lives to access it,” reported Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud from Gaza City.
The latest bombardments bring the total number of Palestinians killed since Saturday to over 200, including 34 people targeted while waiting for food assistance in Rafah, provided by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) – an organisation reportedly operating under the backing of Israel and the United States.
Children Dying of Hunger as Aid Remains Blocked
According to Gaza’s Government Media Office, at least 67 children have died of hunger since October 2023. The UNRWA, which operates clinics across the Gaza Strip, confirmed a sharp rise in malnutrition cases since March, stating they have been unable to bring in humanitarian aid due to the Israeli blockade.
Mahmoud described scenes of desperate civilians making dangerous treks — some walking up to 15km from northern Gaza to Rafah — in pursuit of food, only to face “live ammunition and deliberate shootings by Israeli forces.”
“One food parcel for a family is not nearly enough to feed hungry children,” Mahmoud added.
Airstrikes Continue Across Gaza
Among Sunday’s casualties:
- 10 people killed in an airstrike on a home near al-Sawarkah, Nuseirat refugee camp.
- Six Palestinians killed in the Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City.
- Five others killed in a separate strike on Hamid Street in western Gaza.
- Two killed, including a young girl, in the al-Sabra neighbourhood.
- Three more confirmed dead following an Israeli airstrike on a displacement tent in al-Mawasi, Khan Younis.
Israeli forces also reportedly demolished several residential buildings in the Tuffah neighbourhood of eastern Gaza City.
Ceasefire Talks at a Standstill
These attacks come amid a deadlock in ceasefire negotiations in Qatar, where indirect talks between Israel and Hamas have failed to yield progress in halting the 21-month war. Since October 7, 2023, more than 58,000 Palestinians have been killed, most of them women and children, according to Palestinian health authorities.
The entire population of Gaza – over 2 million people – has now faced at least one forced displacement, with living conditions rapidly deteriorating.
In response to ongoing atrocities, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, citing war crimes and crimes against humanity. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice, initiated by South Africa.
Source: Al Jazeera and News Agencies
