Post by : Jyoti Gupta

Photo:AFP

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsened sharply on Saturday after 62 Palestinians, most of them civilians in search of food and essential supplies, were shot dead in a series of violent incidents across the enclave. According to health officials inside Gaza, the majority of those killed had gathered near aid distribution sites set up by an internationally backed foundation, where people regularly line up for hours in hopes of receiving food, water, or medicine.

Out of the 62 people who lost their lives, 38 were reportedly killed while standing in queues outside the aid centers. Witnesses say they were unarmed and simply hoping to receive relief supplies, but were met with unexpected bursts of gunfire. Many others were injured, and local hospitals are struggling to cope with the continuous influx of casualties.

The killings have sparked fresh outrage among humanitarian organizations and citizens, especially as they took place despite recent announcements by the Israeli military promising “tactical pauses” in combat operations. These daily pauses, introduced on July 27, were meant to allow Palestinians safe access to aid in areas suffering from extreme shortages. However, Saturday’s events—and the deaths of over 100 people while collecting aid just two days earlier—have cast serious doubt on the effectiveness and sincerity of those measures.

Reports from inside Gaza reveal a horrifying reality: aid seekers are being shot while waiting in line, often without any warning. Many Palestinians accuse both Israeli forces and foreign security contractors of deliberately targeting civilians near aid points. These allegations, combined with the sheer number of casualties, are drawing mounting criticism from the international community.

Since the war began in October 2023, a staggering 1,373 Palestinians have been killed while attempting to access aid, according to data gathered by humanitarian monitors in the region. The situation has only become more dire as supplies run out and roads remain blocked. In addition to those killed by gunfire, at least 169 Palestinians—including 93 children—have died due to starvation or complications from severe malnutrition. Health officials warn that if food and medical aid are not allowed to enter Gaza freely and in large quantities, these numbers will only rise.

In response to the growing international condemnation, several countries—including Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Spain, Germany, and France—have begun dropping aid packages by air into Gaza. While these air drops offer some hope to those completely cut off from land-based routes, humanitarian experts insist that this method is far from sufficient. The United Nations and other aid agencies have reiterated that only unrestricted land access will allow enough supplies to reach the more than two million people in need.

But getting that aid through remains nearly impossible. Blockades, closed crossings, and continued shelling have left the people of Gaza trapped in a worsening nightmare. Many families no longer feel safe going out, even to collect food. Parents now face the impossible choice of risking their lives in search of essentials or staying home and watching their children starve.

Survivors have described heart-wrenching scenes: children screaming amid gunfire, bodies lying near food queues, and people bleeding to death without help. “We came only for food. We didn’t expect to be shot at,” one man said while standing outside an overcrowded hospital where his brother had just died. “This is not war anymore. This is cruelty.”

The world continues to watch, but for Palestinians inside Gaza, time is running out. The need for immediate and unrestricted humanitarian aid is growing by the hour. Without urgent action, the death toll—already horrifying—will keep rising, and the suffering of innocent civilians will deepen further.