15-3-2024 (MANILA) Tragedy struck the Gaza Strip on March 14 as at least 29 Palestinians lost their lives in two separate Israeli attacks while awaiting aid, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
The first incident occurred when Palestinian health officials reported that eight people were killed in an airstrike on an aid distribution centre in Al-Nuseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip, controlled by Hamas.
Later in the day, a crowd awaiting aid trucks at a northern Gaza roundabout became the target of Israeli gunfire, resulting in the deaths of at least 21 people and leaving over 150 wounded, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
Israel’s military promptly denied attacking aid centres, labeling the reports as “false” and urging the media to rely on credible information while they thoroughly assess the incident.
The Gaza conflict has forced a majority of the enclave’s 2.3 million population to evacuate, leading to chaotic scenes and fatal incidents during aid distributions as desperate individuals scrambled for sustenance.
On February 29, Palestinian health authorities revealed that Israeli forces had shot and killed over 100 Palestinians as they awaited an aid delivery near Gaza City. Israel attributed the deaths to crowds surrounding aid trucks, claiming that victims had been trampled or run over.
In Deir Al-Balah, also located in central Gaza, a house was struck by an Israeli missile on March 14, resulting in the deaths of nine individuals, as reported by Palestinian medics.
Throughout the night, residents reported ongoing Israeli aerial and ground bombardments across the enclave, including in Rafah in the south, where over a million displaced individuals have sought shelter.
The war initially erupted following a Hamas-led attack on southern Israeli towns on October 7, which claimed the lives of 1,200 people and resulted in 253 others being taken hostage, according to Israeli accounts.
Since then, Israel’s relentless air, sea, and ground assault on Gaza has led to the deaths of over 31,000 people and left more than 71,500 wounded, according to Gaza health authorities.
Efforts to broker a ceasefire between Israel and the Islamist militant group Hamas have thus far been unsuccessful. Israel has stated its desire for a deal that would secure the release of hostages in Gaza in exchange for the release of Palestinians held by Israel. However, Hamas insists that any agreement must bring an end to the war.
Late on March 14, Hamas announced that it had presented mediators with a comprehensive vision for a truce deal, which includes the cessation of what it refers to as Israeli aggression against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, provision of relief and aid, the return of displaced Gazans to their homes, and the withdrawal of Israeli forces.
In response, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed Hamas’ new position as based on “unrealistic demands.”
As the war enters its sixth month, the United Nations has issued a warning that at least 576,000 people in Gaza, equivalent to a quarter of the population, are on the brink of famine. Global pressure has been mounting on Israel to allow greater access for aid delivery.
Israel, however, denies obstructing aid deliveries into Gaza and places blame on failures by aid agencies for any delays. It accuses Hamas of diverting aid, while Hamas denies these allegations and asserts that Israel is using hunger as a weapon in its military offensive.
Meanwhile, a ship carrying aid is approaching Gaza, where the United States military plans to establish a dock to facilitate the distribution of up to two million meals per day. While aid ships are welcomed, Palestinian and UN officials emphasize that maritime deliveries cannot replace the need for aid to be sent through land crossings.
On March 14, Hamas called for an escalation of protests and attacks against Israel in Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem, coinciding with the first day of Friday prayers in the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
In a restaurant at a southern Israeli junction, an Israeli police officer was stabbed on March 14. The suspected attacker, a 22-year-old from the nearby Bedouin city of Rahat, was subsequently shot and neutralized by authorities.
