Aid sites become killing zones: Palestinian death toll soars in Gaza,

Israel continues targeting aid sites, with UN agencies warning of famine and a public health collapse

GAZA, Palestine (MNTV) — Israel has killed at least 58 Palestinians in air and ground attacks across the besieged enclave, on Tuesday as the humanitarian crisis deepens and international pressure mounts.

The deadliest assault came in southern Gaza’s Rafah, where 27 people were reported killed near a humanitarian aid distribution centre.

The Israeli military said it fired at a group that had left designated access routes.

But Palestinian officials have accused Israel of orchestrating a systematic massacre, alleging that Israel lured starving civilians to aid centres before attacking them.

“These are not accidents,” said a spokesperson for Gaza’s Government Media Office. “They are horrific, intentionally repeated crimes.”

The statement noted that 102 Palestinians have been killed near aid centres in just the past eight days — a chilling statistic that casts a long shadow over Israel’s military tactics.

In the north, four more civilians were killed in Jabalia, including a child.

The bodies were transferred to Al-Awda Hospital, according to medical sources.

In central Gaza’s Deir al-Balah, Israeli shelling of a tent sheltering displaced families killed three people and wounded more than 20 others.

Meanwhile, in Khan Younis, six Palestinians, including two children, were killed in Israeli airstrikes that targeted both homes and makeshift tents, the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

The attacks continue despite mounting international condemnation.

The UN has warned that at least 14,000 infants in Gaza are at risk of death from starvation and disease if the siege and bombardment persist.

The Middle East Eye reported that infants are dying at an average of one every two hours, underscoring the collapse of Gaza’s public health system under siege.

As Israel escalates its operations, it also continues to suffer losses.

On Tuesday, the Israeli military confirmed the deaths of three soldiers in Jabalia — the deadliest single incident involving its troops since the end of the temporary ceasefire with Hamas in March.

A senior Israeli military official told Yedioth Ahronoth that more than 10,000 Israeli soldiers have been killed or wounded in the Gaza campaign.

The figure includes those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, many of whom are repeatedly cycling through combat zones.

However, official numbers from the Israeli army list 861 killed and 5,921 injured since October 2023.

Spain’s Defence Ministry has reportedly scrapped a $325 million weapons deal with Israeli firm Rafael. The agreement — for the purchase of Spike antitank missiles — was signed just days before the war began on October 7, 2023.

Spanish media suggest the cancellation reflects Madrid’s increasing discomfort with Israel’s conduct in Gaza.

In the United Kingdom, over 2,200 healthcare professionals have signed an open letter demanding an immediate halt to Israel’s military actions and a commitment to protecting Palestinian civilians.

Organised by Health Workers 4 Palestine, the letter includes endorsements from more than 300 NHS consultants, as well as GPs, nurses, midwives, professors, and public health experts. The signatories describe Israel’s offensive as “a genocide”, calling for accountability through international legal mechanisms.

The ongoing destruction in Gaza has prompted legal actions at the highest levels. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Simultaneously, Israel is also the subject of a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The proceedings were launched by South Africa and are supported by several other countries.

As of now, the Palestinian Health Ministry reports that at least 54,510 people have been killed, with 124,901 wounded since Israel launched its war on Gaza in October 2023.

Across Gaza, residents describe a grim reality: aid centres becoming killing zones, homes turned to rubble, and tent cities under bombardment. Entire families have been wiped out in a single strike. Hospitals are overwhelmed, running without electricity, fuel, or medical supplies.

“The message we’re getting from the world is that Palestinian lives don’t matter,” said a medic in Rafah, fighting back tears as he recounted pulling charred bodies from tents.