Gaza, Jun 02 (V7N) — At least 50 Palestinians have been killed and over 200 injured after Israeli occupation forces opened fire on crowds of starving civilians gathered to receive relief aid in the Al-Mawasi area west of Rafah, southern Gaza. The total death toll in the besieged enclave has now risen to 54,400, according to Gaza’s health authorities.

The incident, reported by Xinhua citing the Middle East Monitor, occurred on Sunday local time, adding to the growing list of tragedies as humanitarian conditions in Gaza continue to deteriorate.

According to the Gaza Health Ministry, so-called relief centers have effectively become “Israeli death traps,” accusing Israeli forces of using new tactics under the guise of aid distribution to carry out what they described as genocidal actions.

The United Nations has echoed grave concerns, warning of an imminent famine. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) described Gaza as the "hungriest place on Earth," with 2.3 million residents facing extreme food insecurity. Since the complete cutoff of humanitarian aid on March 2, conditions have worsened dramatically. In the past week alone, 29 people have died from starvation, and the number of those at risk continues to rise sharply.

This latest tragedy comes in the backdrop of Israel’s ongoing military campaign, which began on October 7, 2023, following a large-scale attack by Hamas. Since then, Israel has conducted continuous air and ground assaults across the Gaza Strip.

According to local and international reports:

  • Over 55,000 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict began — the majority of them women and children.

  • More than 100,000 people have been injured, and thousands are still missing.

  • The UN estimates that 85% of Gaza’s population is in urgent need of food, clean water, and medical assistance.

  • Hundreds of thousands have been internally displaced, many living in makeshift shelters without basic necessities.

As global condemnation grows, international humanitarian organizations continue to call for an immediate ceasefire, unimpeded access to aid, and a lasting political resolution to end the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.

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