At least 67 people have died from Israeli fire while waiting for a UN aid vehicle in northern Gaza, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. The incident took place on July 20, as Israel continued to order the evacuation of densely populated areas of refugees, forcing many families to evacuate again.
The Ministry of Health said that dozens of people were injured in the incident in the north, which is believed to be one of the highest casualties in recent attacks on beneficiaries.
The information said that 36 people were killed the day before. Six others were also shot and killed near a relief distribution location in the south.
The Israeli military admitted that it fired targets to warn a large crowd in the north that it considered an "immediate threat". The military said the reported casualties were inflated and confirmed it did not intentionally target aid vehicles. However, they have not commented on the incident in the south.
In total, on July 20, local health forces confirmed that 88 people died from Israeli shells and airstrikes across Gaza.
In central Gaza, after the Israeli army released leaflets calling for evacuation of the Deir al-Balah area, witnesses said Israeli aircraft airstrikes on three houses there. Many families began to evacuate, bringing their belongings. Hundreds of thousands of people have been taking shelter in the area. Israel said it had not yet entered the evacuation area and was continuing to "run a heavy attack to destroy the enemy's terrorist capabilities and infrastructure".
Some Israeli sources said the army avoided advancing into Deir al-Balah on suspicion that Hamas was holding hostages there. At least 20 of the remaining 50 hostages are believed to be alive. The children's families demanded a clear explanation from the military, saying they were concerned that military decisions could cost their loved ones.
Nearly 21 months of conflict have turned much of Gaza into rubble. The Gaza Ministry of Health warned that hundreds of people are exhausted by hunger and hospitals cannot afford treatment. The United Nations also confirmed that people are starving and urgently need aid.
People said that they could not find essential foods such as wheat flour. At least 71 children have died from malnutrition and about 60,000 others are showing signs of exhaustion. In the past 24 hours alone, 18 people have died from hunger.
UNRWA, the UN's Palestine Relief Agency, asked Israel to allow more aid vehicles into Gaza, saying it had enough food for the entire population of more than two million people for three months but was prevented from allowing them in. The Israeli military insists it considers the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza a "credible issue" and is working with the international community to do so.
