Thousands of desperate Palestinians have stormed a controversial US-Israeli aid distribution centre in southern Gaza, seeking food for their families after nearly three months of a total Israeli blockade.
Eyewitness reports from the Gaza Strip indicate that security contractors lost control at the site shortly after it opened, with live ammunition fired to disperse the growing crowds. The chaotic scenes have drawn sharp criticism, with the Gaza Government Media Office accusing Israel of deliberately creating a humanitarian crisis it has now failed to manage.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza has killed at least 54,056 people and wounded 123,129 others. The Government Media Office has updated the death toll to more than 61,700, including thousands still missing under the rubble and presumed dead.
Meanwhile, the aftermath of the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attacks on Israel continues to loom large. That attack left 1,139 people dead in Israel and over 200 taken captive.
As the blockade continues to choke Gaza, tensions are soaring, with aid distribution centres turning into flashpoints of unrest, exposing the deepening desperation of the besieged population.
