52 Palestinians killed in Gaza from Israeli airstrikes, shootings near aid site

Israeli airstrikes killed at least 28 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, including four children, while 24 others were fatally shot on their way to aid distribution sites, Palestinian hospital officials and witnesses said on Saturday.

The children and two women were among at least 13 persons who were killed in Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza, after Israeli airstrikes pounded the area starting late Friday, officials in Al-Aqsa Martyr’s Hospital said. Fifteen others died in Israeli airstrikes in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, according to Nasser Hospital.

The military did not immediately respond to the request for comment on the civilian deaths.

At least 24 persons were killed on their way to a food distribution site near Rafah run by an Israeli-backed American organisation, said hospital officials and witnesses, including those wounded. The Israeli military said it had fired warning shots toward people it said were behaving suspiciously to prevent them from approaching. It added it was not aware of any casualties from the incident.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said no incident occurred near its sites.

Israel’s offensive, sparked by Hamas’ attack on October 7, 2023, has killed over 57,800 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry, which is under Gaza’s Hamas-run government, doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count. The UN and other international organisations see its figures as the most reliable statistics on war casualties.

US President Donald Trump has said that he is closing in on another ceasefire agreement that would see more hostages released and potentially wind down the war.

But after two days of talks this week with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu there were no signs of a breakthrough. Hamas continues to hold some 50 hostages, at least 20 of whom are believed to still be alive.

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