At least 67 Palestinians were killed and over 150 wounded by Israeli fire while waiting for aid trucks at Zikim crossing in northern Gaza, according to Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. This marks one of the deadliest known incidents involving aid seekers since this conflict started, according to Reuters/Politico. “Warning Shots or Mass Shooting?” Israel’s military said the incident took place when troops fired warning shots at what they perceived to be an immediate threat from an aid-seeking crowd, who they considered an immediate danger. They denied intentionally targeting civilians and are currently reviewing initial findings to ascertain whether reported casualty numbers may have been exaggerated (Reuters/Polito, Nov 3) Witnesses reported scenes of extreme panic. According to live coverage by The Guardian, crowds had become “extremely congested,” while accounts suggest Israeli snipers and tanks opened fire, similar to hunting animals (Witnesses).The Guardian Omnibus Khan Younis in southern Gaza saw six-or seven–and possibly more–shot near another aid distribution point, raising the total death count across Gaza that day to at least 73 Sky News + 6 Reuters +6 Politico + 6. Deepening Humanitarian Crisis These killings come amid growing evidence of worsening hunger in Gaza. Hospitals have become overburdened, while health authorities warn “hundreds of people whose bodies have wasted away are at imminent risk of imminent death due to hunger”. Wikipedia +9 (Reuters). At least 71 children have already died from malnutrition and many more suffer from hunger-related conditions, according to Reuters reports. Food prices have skyrocketed, making staple items unreachable to most of Gaza’s 2 million residents. The United Nations and UNRWA are calling for unrestricted humanitarian access, noting that enough aid is accumulating at international crossings but not reaching those most in need. [Source Reuters] As Israeli evacuation orders, directed at residents in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, spurring further displacement, the Israeli authorities issued orders that instructed residents in Deir al-Balah to relocate south towards coastal tent camps in Muwasi in Muwasi, sparking yet more displacement and straining Hamas amid ongoing but stalled ceasefire talks in Doha (Wikipedia; Reuters and AP News all report this development as pressure tactics intended to put further strain on it). Observers believe these moves aim at pressuring Hamas as part of ongoing ceasefire negotiations. Patterns of Aid-Seeker Killings This recent tragedy follows in a troubling trend. UN rights officials report at least 875 aid-seeker fatalities since late May near distribution points involving private aid setups supported by US and Israel such as Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) [wikipedia + 15], mostly affiliated with US- and Israel-backed private aid setups like GHF, according to dawn.com + 15 and Reuters +15]. On July 19th, gunfire at another aid site killed 32 Palestinians (AP News + Reuters +1). An internal IDF review reportedly acknowledged civilian harm and implemented operational changes; yet major international NGOs, including UN agencies, Amnesty International, and Doctors Without Borders–condemn these distribution sites as “militarized,” calling them “death traps”, with allegations of potential violations of international humanitarian law (Wikipedia). International Reaction & Road Ahead The UN Secretary-General described the shooting at aid facilities as “appalling”, and called for independent investigation of them. UNRWA leaders condemned such setup as being an abomination, which diverted attention away from more pressing ceasefire issues. When looking ahead, an international investigation will likely follow suit in due time, whilst UNRWA leaders warned about similar escalation taking place at other UN facilities across Gaza and Lebanon in 2010. In contrast to what they claim are violations, this incident in particular had no bearing whatsoever on them whatsoever and should have never taken place. Given this dire situation, global demands have intensified for an immediate ceasefire, unfettered humanitarian access and accountability for civilian deaths.
