At least 44 Palestinians were killed on Friday across the Gaza Strip amid escalating Israeli military operations, local health officials reported. A significant number of those killed were reportedly attempting to access food aid when they came under Israeli fire near Netzarim.
According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, 25 people died while waiting for aid trucks. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said troops had fired warning shots at individuals suspected of being militants approaching in a crowd. An Israeli aircraft later struck what the IDF described as suspects, acknowledging that others were also harmed and that a review is underway.
Another 19 Palestinians were killed in separate airstrikes, including 12 in a residential house in Deir Al-Balah, bringing Friday’s death toll to at least 44.
The militant group Hamas accused Israel of deliberately targeting civilians seeking food, a charge Israel denies, saying Hamas is diverting and hoarding humanitarian aid—an accusation the group also refutes.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) issued a grave warning on Friday about a “man-made drought” in Gaza. With just 40% of water infrastructure operational, UNICEF spokesperson James Elder cautioned that children may soon begin dying of thirst, and described conditions as “well below emergency standards.”
UNICEF also highlighted a 50% increase in child malnutrition cases from April to May and estimated that half a million people are facing hunger. Elder emphasized the increased danger at food distribution sites, citing multiple injuries and deaths among children and women during aid collection attempts.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which is overseeing a U.S.-backed aid distribution system, has come under scrutiny. Witnesses say the area around Netzarim—used by both UN and GHF aid convoys—has become increasingly dangerous, with people arriving late at night hoping to obtain aid distributed at dawn.
UNICEF criticized GHF for worsening the situation, while GHF countered by accusing local health officials of spreading “inaccurate information.” GHF claimed it has delivered nearly three million meals without incident, though it did not respond directly to questions about specific fatalities.
Thursday’s violence also saw at least 70 people killed, including 12 who approached a GHF site, health officials said.
The ongoing conflict, now in its ninth month, was triggered by the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas, which killed 1,200 Israelis and saw 251 hostages taken, according to Israeli data. In response, Israel’s military campaign has killed nearly 55,700 Palestinians, displaced over 2 million people, and brought severe food and water shortages to the enclave.