Israeli forces have killed at least 30 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip in recent attacks targeting displaced people sheltering in tents, exacerbating the already catastrophic humanitarian crisis in the besieged enclave, according to local health officials.

The relentless aggression, part of Israel’s ongoing genocidal campaign, has pushed Gaza’s 2.3 million residents to the brink of survival, with famine, disease, and a lack of essential services threatening mass casualties.

Since late May, over 600 Palestinians have been killed and more than 4,200 wounded while desperately seeking food at aid distribution sites operated by the U.S.- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), Gaza’s Health Ministry reports. These sites, located in militarized zones such as the Netzarim corridor and Rafah, have become death traps, with witnesses describing Israeli troops firing on crowds of hungry civilians, including women and children, waiting for meager food parcels. The UN and humanitarian organizations, including Oxfam and Doctors Without Borders, have condemned the GHF system as a violation of humanitarian principles, accusing Israel of weaponizing aid to control and displace Palestinians. UN human rights chief Volker Türk called the situation “unacceptable” and “dehumanizing,” noting that Israel’s methods inflict “horrifying, unconscionable suffering” on Gaza’s population.

The humanitarian crisis has reached unprecedented levels, with Gaza’s entire population facing acute food insecurity due to Israel’s near-total blockade, partially eased on May 19, 2025, after nearly three months of starvation tactics. The UN warns that 2.1 million people are at risk of famine, with community kitchens like those in Nuseirat providing only 259,000 daily meals—far below what is needed. Malnourishment has weakened survivors, making it harder to recover from injuries, while respiratory illnesses and infectious diseases like hepatitis are surging due to overcrowding and lack of clean water. Al-Shifa Hospital, Gaza’s largest medical center in the north, is on the verge of collapse, with officials reporting that hundreds of patients face imminent death due to a critical fuel shortage amid Israel’s restrictions on supplies. “We’re seeing children who look like two-year-olds but are nine or ten, scavenging through rubble for food,” a medic at Nasser Hospital told Al Jazeera, highlighting the dire conditions.

Amid the escalating violence, U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday via Truth Social that Israel has agreed to “the necessary conditions to finalize” a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, urging Hamas to accept the proposal or face worsening conditions. “MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA. GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!” Trump posted, warning Hamas that “it will not get better — IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE.” The proposal, mediated by the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt, aims to secure hostage releases in exchange for a temporary truce, but details remain vague. Israel demands Hamas’s complete disarmament, while Hamas insists on a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. The ceasefire talks come as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares for a Washington visit on July 7, facing pressure from Trump, who has expressed frustration with Israel’s resistance to meaningful terms.

Israel’s genocidal aggression on Gaza, launched in response to Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack that killed 1,139 Israelis and took over 200 hostages, has now claimed at least 56,647 Palestinian lives and wounded 134,105, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry’s figures, which do not distinguish between civilians and combatants, reflect a devastating toll, with women and children making up the majority of the dead. Entire neighborhoods have been reduced to rubble, and nearly 90% of Gaza’s population is displaced, living in overcrowded tents without access to clean water, sanitation, or adequate shelter. The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that Israel’s restrictions on aid deliveries, combined with attacks on humanitarian workers, have paralyzed relief efforts, with 90% of Gaza’s health facilities destroyed or inoperative.

Witnesses describe scenes of chaos and despair at GHF sites, with videos showing Palestinians climbing over fences and earth mounds to reach food, only to face gunfire from Israeli tanks, drones, and snipers. “This is what starving people look like, rushing for food while risking their lives,” Israeli anti-war activist Alon Lee-Green posted on X, describing the situation as “apocalyptic.” At Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, overwhelmed medics treat gunshot wounds to the head, chest, and abdomen, with patients lying on floors due to a lack of beds. The International Committee of the Red Cross reported receiving 184 casualties at its Rafah field hospital in a single incident, with 19 dead on arrival, underscoring the scale of the violence.

As Gaza’s residents endure relentless bombardment, starvation, and disease, calls for an immediate ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access grow louder. The UN, Red Cross, and over 130 NGOs have demanded the dismantling of the GHF system, advocating for a return to UN-led aid distribution to ensure neutrality and safety. “This system is a slaughter masquerading as humanitarian aid,” Doctors Without Borders stated, warning that Israel’s control over aid exacerbates displacement and suffering. With no safe place left in Gaza, the international community faces mounting pressure to act decisively to end the crisis and hold perpetrators accountable for what many describe as war crimes. (ILKHA)