At least 13 Palestinians killed in latest Israeli attack on aid seekers
The Israeli military has a short while ago once again opened fire on Palestinians waiting near a humanitarian aid distribution centre in the Netzarim junction area of central Gaza.
Our Al Jazeera Arabic colleagues report, citing a medical source at al-Awda Hospital in Nuseirat, that Israeli forces have killed at least 13 people and wounded about 200 more in the attack.
It’s the latest in a string of deadly Israeli attacks on aid seekers in the Palestinian enclave over recent weeks, with Gaza’s Ministry of Health reporting that 57 people were killed attempting to access aid on Wednesday alone.
Gaza in desperate need of blood units: Ministry
The manager of the Health Ministry’s blood banks says that at least 7,000 units of blood are needed immediately, as Israeli attacks continue to wound hundreds of Palestinians daily.
“There are not enough volunteers to give blood because of poverty and starvation”, he said.
Israeli strikes kill at least 42 across Gaza as UN eyes ceasefire vote
Israeli attacks have killed at least 42 people across Gaza since dawn, medical sources told Al Jazeera, as the United Nations General Assembly prepares for a vote urging an unconditional ceasefire in the besieged enclave.
Sources told Al Jazeera that at least 26 of the people killed on Thursday died in Israeli drone attacks while waiting for food and basic supplies being distributed by the controversial United States and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
Gaza civil defence official Mohammed el-Mougher told AFP news agency that al-Awda Hospital received at least 10 bodies and about 200 others who were wounded “after Israeli drones dropped multiple bombs on gatherings of civilians near an aid distribution point around the Netzarim checkpoint in central Gaza”.
El-Mougher said that Gaza City’s al-Shifa Hospital also received six bodies after Israeli attacks on aid queues near Netzarim and in the as-Sudaniya area in northwestern Gaza.
Separately, a medical source at al-Shifa Hospital told Al Jazeera that two Palestinians were killed as a result of Israeli shelling targeting the Bir an-Naaja area west of Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza.
Meanwhile, Hamas condemned on Thursday the decision of Israel to cut off communication lines in Gaza, describing it as “a new aggressive step” in the country’s “war of extermination”.
“We call on the international community to assume its responsibility to stop the aggression and ensure the protection of civilians and humanitarian and civilian facilities.”
The disruption of communications has resulted in the UNRWA losing contact with its colleagues in the agency in Gaza, the UN’s main humanitarian provider in Gaza said.
The latest developments come as the UN General Assembly is set to vote on a draft resolution that demands an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in the war in Gaza.
The 193-member General Assembly is likely to adopt the text with overwhelming support, diplomats say, despite Israel lobbying countries this week against taking part in what it called a “politically motivated, counterproductive charade”.
Last week, the United States vetoed a similar effort in the Security Council.
