GAZA CITY — Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 72 people across the Gaza Strip in the past 24 hours, according to hospital officials, as humanitarian groups report a growing toll among Palestinians seeking aid amid the ongoing conflict.
Gaza’s Government Media Office said on Thursday that more than 549 Palestinians have been killed over the past month while attempting to access humanitarian assistance. Another 4,066 have reportedly been injured near aid distribution sites operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which is supported by the United States and Israel.
The figures come as the war between Israel and Hamas enters its ninth month, with Palestinian health officials now reporting at least 56,259 people killed and 132,458 wounded in Gaza since the conflict began. Israel launched its military campaign following the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, which killed 1,139 people in Israel and resulted in the abduction of more than 200 others.
The rising number of civilian casualties around aid distribution points has drawn increasing scrutiny from international observers and humanitarian organizations, who warn that a collapsing relief system is pushing more people toward danger in search of basic supplies.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, with access to food, water, and medical care becoming increasingly limited. Aid agencies have warned that the continued violence around relief efforts is compounding an already catastrophic crisis for the territory’s civilian population.
