GAZA CITY: Gaza’s civil defence agency reported 14 Palestinians killed by Israeli military actions on Wednesday, even as aid deliveries resumed in the war-torn territory. The conflict, now in its 22nd month, has left Gaza’s two million residents facing severe famine, according to a UN-mandated report.
Spokesman Mahmud Basal stated that six people died near an aid distribution centre northwest of Rafah. Two more were killed near the Netzarim junction, while another two died in an airstrike near Gaza City’s Church of the Holy Family. Four others perished near the Wadi Gaza bridge. The Israeli military said it would review the reports.
Media restrictions hinder independent verification of casualty figures. The war began after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which killed 1,219 people, mostly civilians. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has claimed at least 60,034 lives in Gaza, per Hamas-run health ministry data.
Under international pressure, Israel announced daily pauses in fighting to allow aid distribution. Over 200 truckloads of food aid were delivered by UN agencies, with additional airdrops from Jordan and the UAE. Both sides accused armed groups of looting supplies, blaming each other for security failures. – AFP
