By WAFAA SHURAFA, FATMA KHALED and NATALIE MELZER, Related Press
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — No less than 38 Palestinians had been killed in a single day and into Wednesday within the Gaza Strip whereas searching for assist from United Nations convoys and websites run by an Israeli-backed American contractor, based on native well being officers. The Israeli army stated it had fired warning pictures when crowds approached its forces.
One other 25 folks, together with a number of girls and kids, had been killed in Israeli airstrikes, based on native hospitals in Gaza. The army stated it solely targets Hamas fighters.
The most recent deaths got here as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was anticipated to announce additional army motion — and presumably plans for Israel to completely reoccupy Gaza. Specialists say Israel’s ongoing army offensive and blockade are already pushing the territory of some 2 million Palestinians into famine. A brand new U.N. report stated just one.5% of Gaza’s cropland is accessible and undamaged.
One other escalation of the almost 22-month struggle might put the lives of numerous Palestinians and round 20 dwelling Israeli hostages in danger, and would draw fierce opposition each internationally and inside Israel. Netanyahu’s far-right coalition allies have lengthy known as for the struggle to be expanded, and for Israel to finally take over Gaza, relocate a lot of its inhabitants and rebuild Jewish settlements there.
U.S. President Donald Trump, requested by a reporter Tuesday whether or not he supported the reoccupation of Gaza, stated he wasn’t conscious of the “suggestion” however that “it’s going to be just about as much as Israel.”
Extra Palestinians killed in scramble for meals
Of the 38 Palestinians killed whereas searching for assist, no less than 28 died within the Morag Hall, an Israeli army zone in southern Gaza the place U.N. convoys have been repeatedly overwhelmed by looters and determined crowds in latest days, and the place witnesses say Israeli forces have repeatedly opened hearth.
The Israeli army stated troops fired warning pictures as Palestinians superior towards them, and that it was not conscious of any casualties.
Nasser Hospital, which obtained the our bodies, stated one other 4 folks had been killed within the Teina space, on a route resulting in a web site in southern Gaza run by the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Basis, an American contractor. The Al-Awda Hospital stated it obtained the our bodies of six folks killed close to a GHF web site in central Gaza. GHF stated there have been no violent incidents at or close to its websites.
Two of the Israeli airstrikes hit Gaza Metropolis, within the north of the territory, killing 13 folks there, together with six youngsters and 5 girls, based on the Al-Ahli Hospital, which obtained the our bodies.
The Israeli army says it solely targets combatants and blames civilian deaths on Hamas as a result of its fighters are entrenched in closely populated areas. Hamas has been designated as a terrorist group by the US, Canada and the European Union.
Palestinians carry the physique of an individual who was killed whereas making an attempt to achieve assist vans getting into northern Gaza Strip by the Zikim crossing with Israel, at Shifa Hospital in Gaza Metropolis, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025. (AP Photograph/Jehad Alshrafi)
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Palestinians carry the physique of an individual who was killed whereas making an attempt to achieve assist vans getting into northern Gaza Strip by the Zikim crossing with Israel, at Shifa Hospital in Gaza Metropolis, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025. (AP Photograph/Jehad Alshrafi)
Develop
UN consultants say Israeli-backed assist group ought to be dismantled
Israel facilitated the institution of 4 GHF websites in Could after blocking the entry of all meals, drugs and different items for two 1/2 months. Israeli and U.S. officers stated a brand new system was wanted to forestall Hamas from siphoning off humanitarian assist.
The United Nations, which has delivered assist to tons of of distribution factors throughout Gaza all through the struggle when circumstances permit, has rejected the brand new system, saying it forces Palestinians to journey lengthy distances and danger their lives for meals, and that it permits Israel to manage who will get assist, probably utilizing it to advance plans for additional mass displacement.
The U.N. human rights workplace stated final week that some 1,400 Palestinians have been killed searching for assist since Could, principally close to GHF websites but in addition alongside U.N. convoy routes the place vans have been overwhelmed by crowds. It says almost all had been killed by Israeli hearth.
This week, a gaggle of U.N. particular rapporteurs and unbiased human rights consultants known as for the GHF to be disbanded, saying it’s “an totally disturbing instance of how humanitarian aid will be exploited for covert army and geopolitical agendas in severe breach of worldwide legislation.”
The consultants work with the U.N. however don’t signify the world physique.
The GHF didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark. The Israeli army says it has solely fired warning pictures when crowds threatened its forces, and GHF says its armed contractors have solely used pepper spray and fired into the air on some events to forestall lethal crowding at its websites.
Gaza’s farmland has been destroyed, contributing to starvation disaster
Israel’s air and floor struggle has destroyed almost all of Gaza’s meals manufacturing capabilities, leaving its folks reliant on worldwide assist.
A brand new report by the U.N.’s Meals and Agriculture Group and the U.N. satellite tv for pc heart discovered that simply 8.6% of Gaza’s cropland remains to be accessible following sweeping Israeli evacuation orders in latest months. Simply 1.5% is accessible and undamaged, it stated.
The army offensive and a breakdown in safety have made it almost inconceivable for anybody to soundly ship assist, and assist teams say latest Israeli measures to facilitate extra help are removed from adequate.
Hospitals recorded 4 extra malnutrition-related deaths during the last 24 hours, bringing the whole to 193 folks, together with 96 youngsters, for the reason that struggle started in October 2023, based on the Gaza Well being Ministry.
Jordan says assist convoy attacked by Israeli settlers
Jordan stated Israeli settlers blocked roads and hurled stones at a convoy of 4 vans carrying assist sure for Gaza after they drove throughout the border into the Israeli-occupied West Financial institution. Israeli far-right activists have repeatedly sought to halt assist from getting into Gaza.
Jordanian authorities spokesperson Mohammed al-Momani condemned the assault, which he stated had shattered the windshields of the vans, based on the Jordanian state-run Petra Information Company.
The Israeli army stated safety forces went to the scene to disperse the gathering and accompanied the vans to their vacation spot.
Hamas-led terrorists killed some 1,200 folks, principally civilians, within the Oct. 7 assault and kidnapped one other 251. Many of the hostages have been launched in ceasefires or different offers. Of the 50 nonetheless held in Gaza, round 20 are believed to be alive.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed over 61,000 Palestinians, based on Gaza’s Well being Ministry, which doesn’t say what number of had been fighters or civilians however says round half had been girls and kids. It’s a part of the now largely defunct Hamas-run authorities and staffed by medical professionals. The U.N. and unbiased consultants think about it probably the most dependable supply for the variety of struggle casualties.
Khaled reported from Cairo and Melzer from Tel Aviv. Israel. Related Press writers Stefanie Dazio in Berlin and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut contributed to this report.
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