Latest news with #MahmoudBassal
Days of Palestine
4 days ago
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
Seeking Food in Gaza Must Not Be ‘Death Sentence,' Says MSF
DayofPal– Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières, or MSF) has condemned a deadly and dysfunctional aid delivery system backed by Israel and the United States in the Gaza Strip. The group denounced the killings of Palestinians seeking food, calling the situation 'carnage' and warning of a collapsing healthcare system amid ongoing Israeli military operations. In a statement issued late Tuesday, MSF urged the immediate protection of civilians attempting to access aid, as desperation mounts across the besieged enclave. 'Every day Palestinians are met with carnage in their attempts to receive supplies from the insufficient amount of aid trickling into Gaza,' the group said. 'Seeking food should not be a death sentence.' The statement followed one of the deadliest days in Gaza since the start of the humanitarian crisis, with at least 60 Palestinians killed and over 200 injured near an aid distribution site in Khan Younis, according to Gaza health authorities. Survivors and witnesses described Israeli forces targeting large crowds with shelling and gunfire as they waited for flour and basic supplies. 'I saw people torn to pieces; it's a disaster,' said Dr. Wafaa Abu Nemer, an MSF pediatrician. 'Seeking food should not be a death sentence.' According to Gaza Civil Defence spokesperson Mahmoud Bassal, Israeli drones and tanks opened fire on civilians who had gathered along the eastern road through Khan Younis in hopes of receiving aid. 'Israeli drones fired at the citizens. Some minutes later, Israeli tanks fired several shells at the citizens, which led to a large number of martyrs and wounded,' Bassal reported. Survivors offered harrowing accounts of the attack. 'Tens of thousands of hungry civilians gathered for the aid. Two Israeli shells were dropped in the middle of the crowd. Dozens of civilians, including children, were killed, and no one could help or save lives,' said Saeed Abu Liba, 38, in a video shared on social media. 'May God punish the Israelis for their crimes.' Another witness, Yousef Nofal, described the aftermath as a 'massacre.' 'I saw many people motionless and bleeding on the ground,' he said. 'Israeli soldiers continued firing on people as they fled the area.' Mohammed Abu Qeshfa, another survivor, said he narrowly escaped. 'I heard a loud explosion followed by heavy gunfire and tank shelling. I survived by a miracle,' he said. Since the U.S.- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) began operating on May 26, Israeli attacks on its distribution points have reportedly killed more than 397 civilians and injured over 3,000, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. GHF was established to bypass the UN's longstanding aid infrastructure in Gaza, but has drawn criticism from humanitarian organizations for exacerbating the crisis. Aid groups have accused the foundation of violating humanitarian principles by restricting deliveries to central and southern Gaza, requiring civilians to travel long distances on foot, and failing to meet even basic needs. Most major aid organizations, including the United Nations, have distanced themselves from GHF. The UN confirmed that Israel continues to block food and humanitarian assistance, with only a limited number of trucks reaching the territory, far from sufficient to meet the needs of Gaza's 2.3 million residents. On March 2, Israel shut Gaza's primary border crossings, effectively sealing off food, medicine, and emergency supplies. Human rights groups have accused Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war. An Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report published last month projected that nearly a quarter of Gaza's population faces imminent famine-level conditions (IPC Phase 5), the most severe classification of food insecurity. 'In this horrific situation, nothing can replace Nasser Hospital, the last remaining lifeline in the South,' said Aitor Zabalgogeazkoa, MSF's emergency coordinator. 'But the hospital is over-capacity and running on limited supplies; it is dangerously close to breaking point.' As scenes of starvation, displacement, and death continue to emerge from Gaza, MSF has warned that using humanitarian aid as a tool of war could amount to grave international crimes. 'Weaponizing aid in this manner may constitute crimes against humanity,' the organization stated. Shortlink for this post:
The Guardian
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Israeli forces kill or injure 11 Palestinians awaiting food trucks, say Gaza officials
Eleven Palestinians were killed or injured on Tuesday morning after Israeli forces opened fire on a crowd waiting for food trucks in central Gaza, civil defence officials in the devastated territory have said. More than a hundred Palestinians have died in recent days after being targeted by the Israeli military in Gaza as they gathered near food distribution centres or on routes along which trucks were expected to travel. The Israeli military said it was 'looking into' reports of the new incident. Mahmoud Bassal, a civil defence spokesperson, told AFP that 11 people were killed and more than 100 wounded on Monday morning 'after [Israeli] forces opened fire and launched several shells ... at thousands of citizens' who had gathered to queue for food in central Gaza. The civil defence agency said another 19 people were killed in three Israeli strikes on Wednesday, which it said targeted houses and a tent for displaced people. Food has become extremely scarce in Gaza since a tight blockade on all supplies entering Gaza was imposed by Israel throughout March and April, threatening many of the 2.3 million people who live there with a 'critical risk of famine'. The UN humanitarian office OCHA said this week that its partners 'continue to warn of the risk of famine in Gaza, amid catastrophic levels of acute food insecurity'. Since the blockade was partially lifted last month, the UN has tried to bring in aid but has faced major obstacles, including rubble-choked roads, Israeli military restrictions, continuing airstrikes and growing anarchy. Aid officials said 23 UN trucks on average had entered Gaza through the main checkpoint of Kerem Shalom in recent days but most have been 'self-distributed' by hungry Palestinians who stop them or looted by organised gangs. 'A few made it to the warehouses and the bakeries but the majority were stopped along the way … and off-loaded by hungry civilians in critical need of food to feed their families,' a UN official said. On Tuesday morning, at least 59 Palestinians were killed and hundreds more wounded in Khan Younis, according to medical officials, as they waited for a truck loaded with flour. Other violence elsewhere in Gaza, including a shooting near an distribution site in the city of Rafah, took the day's overall death toll among Palestinians seeking food to at least 73. Many of the recent incidents have involved Israeli forces opening fire on crowds trying to reach food distribution points run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a private organisation that began operating in Gaza last month with Israeli and US support. On Monday, at least 37 Palestinians were killed as they tried to reach a GHF site, local authorities said. The Israel Defense Forces disputed the death toll, saying it did not match its information. Witnesses blamed that shooting on Israeli troops who opened fire early in the morning as crowds of hungry Palestinians converged on two hubs managed by the GHF. The IDF said in a statement: 'Despite warnings that the area is an active combat zone, overnight several attempts were made by suspects to approach IDF troops who were operating in the area of Rafah, posing a danger to them. IDF troops operated in order to remove the threat and prevent the suspects from approaching them, and fired warning shots.' Israel hopes the GHF will replace the previous comprehensive system of aid distribution run by the UN, which Israeli officials claim allowed Hamas to steal and sell aid. UN agencies and major aid groups, which have delivered humanitarian aid across Gaza since the start of 20 month long war, have rejected the new system, saying it is impractical, inadequate and unethical. They deny there is widespread theft of aid by Hamas. The GHF's provisions so far have been grossly inadequate, humanitarian officials in Gaza say. UN agencies and major aid groups have refused to cooperate with the GHF over concerns it was designed to advance Israel's military objectives. Israel launched its campaign aiming to destroy Hamas after the group's 7 October 2023 attack on southern Israel, in which militants killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took another 251 hostage. The militants still hold 53 hostages, fewer than half of them alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals The Gaza health ministry said on Tuesday that 5,194 people have been killed since Israel resumed major operations in the territory on 18 March, ending a two-month truce. The death toll in Gaza since the war broke out has reached 55,493, according to the health ministry.
The Journal
6 days ago
- Health
- The Journal
Israeli forces kill more than 50 and wound over 200 in latest massacre at aid site in Gaza
ISRAELI FORCES HAVE killed at least 51 people and wounded more than 200 in the latest massacre of Palestinians waiting for desperately needed humanitarian aid in Gaza, according to the territory's health ministry. This time the Israeli military attacked people waiting to receive flour from the United Nations near a distribution site in Khan Younis. Civil defence spokesman Mahmoud Bassal told the AFP news agency that Israeli drones had fired on civilians. 'Some minutes later, Israeli tanks fired several shells at the citizens, which led to a large number of martyrs and wounded,' he said. The Israeli army told AFP it was 'looking into' the incident. Bassal put the death toll at 50 but Gaza's health ministry later reported that '51 martyrs and more than 200 injuries have arrived at Nasser Medical Complex, including 20 in critical condition'. Yousef Nofal, an eyewitness, said he saw many people motionless and bleeding on the ground after the Israeli forces opened fire. 'It was a massacre,' he said, adding that the soldiers continued firing on people as they ran away. Advertisement Mohammed Abu Qeshfa said he heard a loud explosion followed by heavy gunfire and tank shelling. 'I survived by a miracle,' he said. Samaher Meqdad was at Nasser Hospital looking for her two brothers and a nephew who had been in the crowd. 'Why did they fire at the young people? Why? Aren't we human beings?' Unlike similar incidents that have occurred since Israel broke a ceasefire with Hamas in March, this attack did not occur near a centre run by the US and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), whose distribution centres have been the sites of regular attacks on civilians. Hundreds of people have been killed in such attacks. Yesterday, Israeli forces opened fire and killed 34 people waiting at a number of different aid sites in Gaza, according to witnesses and local health officials. The Gaza Strip has been ravaged by more than 20 months of Israeli siege, bombardment and widespread destruction caused by fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups. The health ministry said yesterday that 5,139 people have been killed since Israel violated the ceasefire on 18 March. The overall death toll in Gaza since the war broke out in October 2023 has reached 55,432 people, according to the health ministry. With reporting from AFP and Press Association Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
The Journal
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Journal
Israeli troops kill 20 Palestinians waiting to collect food, says Gaza's civil defence agency
ISRAELI FORCES HAVE killed 20 Palestinians who were waiting to collect food, according to Gaza's civil defence agency. It is the latest deadly incident to take place near a US-backed aid distribution centre in the south of the Palestinian territory. Civil defence spokesman Mahmoud Bassal told AFP that 'the (Israeli) occupation forces opened fire' near the Al-Alam roundabout in the southern city of Rafah, where many were waiting to reach an aid distribution site. Bassal said that '20 martyrs and more than 200 wounded by occupation gunfire' were taken to nearby hospitals. The Israeli military told AFP that it was looking into the report. Israeli restrictions on media in the Gaza Strip and other difficulties in accessing some areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls provided by the civil defence agency. According to the rescue agency, dozens of Palestinians have been killed while trying to reach distribution points operated by the US and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) since it began operating last month. Advertisement The first deadly incident happened on the morning of 25 May, when 31 Palestinians were killed by Israeli gunfire , according to the Gaza Civil Defence agency. The following morning, Israeli forces shot dead three people, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The civil defence agency said more than 20 Palestinians were killed on Saturday near another GHF site. The introduction of this new US and Israeli-backed entity into the besieged Palestinian territory has been part of Israel's plan to circumvent UN agencies and NGOs that already work in Gaza and have done so for decades. Those UN agencies and officials repeatedly condemned the establishment of the organisation, warning that it would allow Israel to weaponise the provision of food. NGOs said it would only serve to allow Israel to carry out a plan proposed by US President Donald Trump, and endorsed by Israeli government officials, which is to remove the Palestinian population from the area. Israel has faced mounting international pressure over humanitarian conditions in Gaza, which the United Nations has described as 'the hungriest place on Earth'. The UN humanitarian agency OCHA has said that Gaza's 'entire population' of more than 2 million people was at risk of famine. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised in a telephone call on Sunday to do more to bring aid into Gaza. Related Reads At least 31 killed and 'about 200' wounded by Israeli fire at Gaza food distribution site A new organisation has taken over Gaza food distribution with disastrous results - who's behind it? The Palestinian health ministry said that 5,139 people have been killed since Israel broke a ceasefire and resumed strikes on the territory on 18 March. Israel cut off supplies into Gaza on 2 March, sparking international condemnation. The overall death toll in Gaza since Hamas's 7 October 2023 attack has reached 55,432 people, according to the health ministry. The 7 October attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, according to official Israeli figures. With reporting from © AFP 2025 Need more information on what is happening in Israel and Gaza? Check out our new FactCheck Knowledge Bank for essential reads and guides to navigating the news online. Visit Knowledge Bank Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Middle East Eye
15-06-2025
- Health
- Middle East Eye
Gaza rescuers say 16 killed by Israeli military
Gaza's civil defence agency said 16 people were killed in Israeli military operations in the Palestinian territory on Sunday, most of them while waiting for aid. The first responders agency's teams transported the bodies of 16 people killed by Israeli fire in various parts of the Palestinian territory, spokesman Mahmoud Bassal told AFP. At least three people were killed and many injured when Israeli forces "targeted a gathering of hundreds of citizens near the aid distribution point" in central Gaza Sunday morning, Bassal said. In the coastal territory's north, Bassal said civil defence teams transported seven people killed on their way to get aid distributed from trucks in the area northwest of Gaza City. In south Gaza, two people were killed and 50 were injured "when (Israeli) forces opened fire on citizens near an aid distribution point," Bassal said. Contacted by AFP, the army said it was "not aware of gunshots near Netzarim or Rafah", and that it was looking into the events in northern Gaza. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza said Sunday the bodies of 26 people have arrived at hospitals over the past 24 hours in aid-related casualties, in addition to more than 117 injured people. The total number of aid-related deaths reported at hospitals from designated aid distribution areas has now reached 300, with over 2,649 injuries, the ministry added.
