Gaza Health Ministry Reports 20 Palestinians Killed in Strike on Food Aid Queue, According to Reuters

By Fadi Shana, Nidal al-Mughrabi, and Dan Williams

GAZA/DOHA/JERUSALEM – On Thursday, an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City reportedly killed 20 Palestinians and injured 150 others who were waiting in line for food aid, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry. This incident has been condemned by a coalition of Palestinian groups as a "war crime."

The Israeli military stated that it is investigating the report. The National and Islamic Forces Follow-up Committee, a consortium of militant and political organizations, accused Israeli forces of deliberately targeting civilians in need of assistance. They described the incident as part of a broader "war crime and genocide."

In another airstrike, six people were killed in the Al-Nusseirat refugee camp as night fell. In the southern part of Gaza, tanks were reported to be shelling areas near two hospitals in Khan Younis, which has resulted in more civilians seeking safety.

A World Health Organization official termed the food situation in Gaza as "absolutely horrific," with humanitarian workers describing desperate crowds forming around scarce aid deliveries. Most of the 2.3 million residents of the Gaza Strip have been displaced to Khan Younis and nearby towns due to the ongoing military campaign, which has now lasted four months.

Health officials in Gaza reported that at least 50 Palestinians were killed in the past 24 hours in Khan Younis, where military operations have intensified following a redeployment of forces from northern Gaza.

One resident expressed despair, stating, "There’s no safe area, where shall we go? Stop the war, it is enough.” The Israeli military has reported engaging with militants in close combat in Khan Younis and employing precision airstrikes.

Palestinian medical teams reported that shelling has isolated the area surrounding Khan Younis’s two main operational hospitals, trapping patients and medical staff. Israel maintains that Hamas militants use hospitals for operations, a claim the group and medical personnel deny.

Two U.S. officials indicated that the United States has established a communication channel with Israel to discuss concerns about civilian casualties. This channel has been used to bring up specific incidents for investigation.

In Khan Younis, thousands of internally displaced individuals attempted to flee towards Rafah. Israeli tank forces ordered over 30,000 civilians sheltering at a U.N. center to evacuate, after the compound was shelled the previous day, resulting in deaths and injuries.

UNRWA’s director highlighted the dire situation, illustrating the mass movement of people seeking refuge. The International Committee of the Red Cross noted that less than 20% of the area housing over 1.5 million homeless people is likely to survive the ongoing hostilities.

Palestinian health officials report that around 25,900 Palestinians have died as a result of Israeli strikes, with substantial destruction across the densely populated territory.

Israel commenced military operations after Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 Israelis and approximately 240 hostages taken. The Israeli military has claimed to have killed over 9,000 militants while losing 220 soldiers. Hamas has disputed these death figures.

As the U.N. judges prepare to rule on a request from South Africa for an immediate halt to Israeli military actions, Hamas stated it would support a ceasefire if Israel reciprocated.

Israel has urged the International Court of Justice to dismiss the case, with a government spokesperson expressing confidence that the court will reject the allegations.

International calls for a ceasefire to protect civilians have largely been ignored, as Israel remains steadfast in its objective to dismantle Hamas and release hostages. Hamas stipulates that any negotiations for a ceasefire must be tied to an end to the offensive and a withdrawal from Gaza.

Discussions have resumed concerning a potential month-long truce, possibly involving hostage releases in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, but progress has stalled due to significant differences between the parties.

High-level meetings are also planned between officials from Israel’s intelligence agency and the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency with Qatar’s prime minister to further discuss the situation in Gaza.

The conflict poses a significant risk of destabilizing the broader Middle East, potentially escalating tensions from the Israeli-occupied West Bank to the Israel-Lebanon border, as well as affecting regional shipping routes critical for international commerce.