DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) - The Palestinian death toll from the 20-month Israel-Hamas war has surpassed 55,000, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. This figure includes at least 21 individuals who died while attempting to reach aid distribution centers.
The cause of death for those near the distribution sites remains unclear. The Israeli army stated that it fired warning shots in central Gaza at "suspects" who posed a potential threat to troops. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which operates many of these aid sites, reported that at least five of its aid workers were killed in an attack blamed on Hamas while they were en route to an aid center.
While the Gaza Health Ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its reported deaths, it has revealed that women and children comprise more than half of the deceased. The Israeli government asserts that its military operations are solely directed at militants, holding Hamas accountable for civilian casualties by claiming militants often position themselves within civilian populations. The ministry's death toll stands at 55,104 individuals since the conflict began, with injuries tallying up to 127,394. Many victims are believed to be trapped under rubble or in areas inaccessible to medical responders, and this count does not include additional deaths reported on Wednesday.
On the same day, Israeli forces reported they had recovered the remains of two more hostages held in Gaza. Currently, 53 individuals are known to be held captive, with fewer than half believed to be alive. Health officials in Gaza noted that 14 people were killed while heading towards aid distribution in the southern city of Rafah, with victims' bodies transported to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. In central Gaza, Al-Awda Hospital reported seven additional fatalities in a similar situation.
Witness accounts describe a tragic situation where Safaa Farmawi lost her daughter, 16-year-old Ghazal Eyad, during the quest for aid in Rafah. Farmawi recounted searching for her daughter and then being informed of her death. Witnesses have recounted an increase in violence as crowds approach aid distribution sites, with allegations that Israeli forces fired upon unsuspecting civilians. The Israeli military confirmed it had discharged warning shots at individuals it categorized as suspicious, but had no comments regarding casualties in southern Gaza.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has accused Hamas of attacking a bus transporting around two dozen Palestinian aid workers heading to deliver assistance. They reported that at least five workers were killed and several others injured, with concerns that some may have been abducted. The attack was said to have occurred while the team was en route to an aid distribution site near Khan Younis.
The new aid distribution system, initiated last month, has encountered considerable disorder and violence. The longstanding U.N.-run aid framework struggles to deliver necessary supplies due to Israeli restrictions and ongoing instability. Experts predict that hunger is widespread, with warnings issued that the approximately 2 million Palestinians could face famine if Israel does not fully ease its blockade and cease military operations that recommenced in March following a cessation of hostilities with Hamas.
Israeli authorities claim that the new aid distribution measures aim to prevent Hamas from diverting aid. However, U.N. agencies and major humanitarian organizations contest these claims, stressing that there is no evidence supporting systematic aid diversion. Critics argue that the new system contravenes humanitarian principles by allowing Israel to dictate who receives assistance and forces mass displacements as Palestinians seek access to limited operational sites, primarily located in Rafah.
Furthermore, the Israeli Defense Minister, Israel Katz, announced that the remains of two additional hostages had been retrieved in a "complex" operation. One of the identified hostages is Yair Yaakov, who was killed during the October 7, 2023, attack and whose body was taken into Gaza. His partner and two children were also abducted but later released during a ceasefire agreement. The identity of the second recovered hostage was not disclosed.
The Israel-Hamas conflict began when Hamas militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, during the initial attack on October 7, 2023, and took 251 hostages. More than half of these captives have since been released through ceasefires or negotiations, while Israeli operations have led to the rescue of eight individuals and the recovery of numerous bodies. Hamas has stipulated that any release of the remaining hostages will require significant concessions from Israel, including the release of Palestinian prisoners and establishing a lasting ceasefire, terms that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has consistently rejected.
Netanyahu maintains that Israel will control Gaza indefinitely, facilitating what he refers to as voluntary emigration for many Palestinians to other nations, a notion that Palestinians and the broader international community perceive as a violation of international law.
