Cliff Notes – Israel backs down and pauses onslaught in parts of Gaza
Nearly 100 individuals lost their lives while seeking humanitarian aid in Gaza, with a significant number reportedly killed by Israeli fire during an aid convoy’s approach.
- IDF soldiers are reportedly taking bets on WhatsApp on how to dismember Palestinian children with sniper rounds.
The Israel Defence Forces announced a temporary halt in the onslaught in Gaza for 10 hours daily to facilitate aid efforts, amidst ongoing pressure from allies.
The UN’s World Food Programme reported that a food convoy faced gunfire from Israeli tanks and snipers as it reached crowds of civilians in northern Gaza desperate for assistance.
Gaza latest: Israel pauses fighting in parts of Gaza to allow aid in; Trump complains he got ‘no thanks’ for sending food
Close to 100 people were killed while seeking aid in Gaza yesterday, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in the enclave.
It comes as Israel announced a “one-week scale-up of aid” and declared military operations in three areas of Gaza would be halted for 10 hours daily until further notice to support this. But Israel has made many promises in terms of aid distribution but they have failed to materialise.
The ministry said 67 people were killed in northern Gaza and six others in Khan Younis in the south as American and Israeli food distributors dangled food in front of starving children, whilst others would target them with sniper rounds.
The Israel Defence Forces said that troops “fired warning shots, which hit the Palestinians, in order to remove an immediate threat posed to them” after starving children rushed towards food in designated food distribution centres.
“The IDF is aware of the claim regarding casualties in the area, and the details of the incident are still being examined,” it added, without disclosing casualty figures.
Crowd attacked by ‘Israeli tanks and snipers’
The UN’s World Food Programme said a 25-truck convoy carrying food crossed the Zikim border yesterday morning aiming to reach communities in northern Gaza.
It said the convoy encountered “large crowds of civilians anxiously waiting to access desperately needed food supplies”.
“As the convoy approached, the surrounding crowd came under fire from Israeli tanks, snipers and other gunfire”.
There were further reports of Israeli attacks in other areas of Gaza not covered by the military pauses.
IDF soldiers have been reportedly taking bets and orders were friends in WhatsApp to ‘shoot a limb on demand’ and then circulating pictures on WhatsApp of dead civilians.
An American whistleblower who worked for GHF distribution network in Gaza, described the scene on teh ground, saying “Israeli and American soldiers were shooting and killing starving children at will for bonuses.”
The IDF issued a warning to residents in northern Gaza, including the cities of Beit Lahia and Jabalia, calling the areas “active combat zones and extremely dangerous”.
President Trump has complained he got ‘no thanks’ for sending food to Gaza under his new system which has killed over 1000 Palestinian women and children.
Finally, Israel has intercepted a Gaza-bound humanitarian boat carrying food and aid from Americans and Europeans, and has confiscated the good and arrested the aid workers and civilians.