Palestinians say Israeli gunfire kills 12 near aid sites. Israel says it fired warning shots

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli gunfire killed at least 12 people and wounded others as they headed toward two aid distribution points in Gaza run by an Israeli- and U.S.-backed group, Palestinian health officials and witnesses said Sunday. Israel’s military said it fired warning shots at people who approached its forces.

The last two weeks have seen frequent shootings near the new hubs where thousands of Palestinians — desperate after 20 months of war — are being directed to collect food. Witnesses say nearby Israeli troops have opened fire, and more than 80 people have been killed, according to Gaza hospital officials.

In all, at least 108 bodies were brought to hospitals in Gaza over the last 48 hours, the territory’s Health Ministry said. Israel’s military said it struck dozens of militant targets throughout Gaza over the last day.

Eleven of the latest bodies were brought to Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Yunis. Palestinian witnesses said Israeli forces fired on them at a roundabout around a half-mile from a site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in nearby Rafah.

Israel’s military said it fired warning shots at “suspects” who had advanced toward its forces and ignored warnings to turn away. It said the shooting occurred in an area that is considered an active combat zone at night.

Al-Awda Hospital said it received the body of a 42-year-old man and 29 people who were wounded near another Gaza Humanitarian Foundation aid distribution point in central Gaza. The military said it fired warning shots in the area around 6:40 a.m. but did not see any casualties.

A Gaza Humanitarian Foundation official said there was no violence in or around its distribution sites, all three of which delivered aid Sunday. The group closed them temporarily last week to discuss safety measures with Israel’s military and has warned people to stay on designated access routes. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

The new aid hubs are set up inside Israeli military zones where independent media have no access.

Witnesses fear for their safety

Witnesses said the shooting in southern Gaza occurred around 6 a.m., when they were told the site would open. Many headed toward it early, seeking desperately needed food before the crowds arrived.

Adham Dahman, who was at Nasser Hospital with a bandage on his chin, said a tank fired toward them. “We didn’t know how to escape,” he said. “This is trap for us, not aid.”

Zahed Ben Hassan said someone next to him was shot in the head. He said he and others pulled the body from the scene.

“They said it was a safe area from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. ... So why did they start shooting at us?” he said. “There was light out, and they have their cameras and can clearly see us.”

A makeshift tent camp for displaced Palestinians is seen in Khan Yunis, Gaza, on Friday.

(Abdel Kareem Hana / Associated Press)

The military announced Friday that the sites would be open during those hours, and that the area would be a closed military zone the rest of the time.

Children cried over their father’s body at the hospital. “I can’t see you like this, Dad!” one girl said.

Aid distributed inside Israeli military zones

Gaza’s roughly 2 million Palestinians are almost completely reliant on international aid because nearly all food production capabilities have been destroyed.

The new aid hubs are run by Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a new group of mainly American contractors. Israel wants it to replace a system coordinated by the United Nations and international aid groups.

Israel and the United States accuse the Hamas militant group of stealing aid. The U.N. denies there is systematic diversion. The U.N. says the new system is unable to meet mounting needs, allows Israel to use aid as a weapon by determining who can receive it, and forces people to relocate to where aid sites are positioned.

The U.N. system has struggled to deliver aid, even after Israel eased its complete blockade of Gaza last month. U.N. officials say their efforts are hindered by Israeli military restrictions, the breakdown of law and order and widespread looting.

Experts warned earlier this year that Gaza was at critical risk of famine if Israel did not lift its blockade and halt its military campaign. Both were renewed in March. Israeli officials have said the offensive will continue until all hostages are returned and Hamas is defeated or disarmed and sent into exile.

Hamas has said it will release the remaining hostages only in return for Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Talks mediated by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar have been deadlocked for months.

Hamas started the war with its attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, when Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 more hostage. They still hold 55 hostages, fewer than half of them alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals.

Israel has recovered dozens of bodies, including three in recent days, and rescued eight living hostages during the war.

Israel’s military campaign has killed more than 54,800 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. It says women and children make up most of the dead but does not say how many civilians or combatants were killed. Israel says it has killed more than 20,000 militants, without providing evidence.

The war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced around 90% of its population.

Shurafa and Chehayeb write for the Associated Press. Chehayeb reported from Beirut. Associated Press writer Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv contributed to this report.