Israeli Attacks Claim Dozens of Lives as Aid Trickles into Gaza

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 51 Palestinians since dawn Thursday, according to medical sources. The attacks came as limited humanitarian aid began to trickle into Gaza after a total blockade was eased.

Among those killed were 25 individuals in Gaza City and surrounding areas. An Israeli attack on the al-Baraka area of Deir el-Balah killed at least 10 people, including nine family members, as reported by the official Palestinian news agency Wafa. Additionally, five people died in an attack on the Bakhit family home in northwest Gaza.

A tank shell hit a medicine warehouse at Al-Awda Hospital in Beit Lahiya, igniting a fire that emergency workers struggled to extinguish for hours. Tanks remain stationed outside the facility, restricting access for medical responders.

As violence continues, the United Nations reported that about 90 trucks carrying humanitarian supplies have entered Gaza since the start of the week. Jens Laerke, a spokesperson for the UN Humanitarian agency OCHA, stated that these trucks delivered medicine, wheat flour, and nutritional items.

Despite the arrival of aid, challenges persist. Aid groups face the threat of looting and military restrictions, complicating relief efforts. The Gaza Government Media Office indicated that 87 trucks were designated for international and local organizations to address urgent needs.

Tarek Abu Azzoum, a correspondent for Al Jazeera, noted that food trucks successfully offloaded their cargo at designated UN distribution centers on Wednesday. However, he emphasized that this supply remains insufficient, as many in Gaza are at risk of famine after weeks of isolation.

Concerns about security have hindered food aid distribution in northern Gaza, where thousands remain cut off. The UN has requested that Israel allow at least 500 food trucks to enter Gaza daily, given that it has been over 80 days since the blockade was fully enforced.

UN officials are working to expedite the flow of desperately needed supplies into Gaza, stressing the pressing need for aid amid ongoing military strikes and logistical delays. Reports indicate that half a million residents face extended starvation, with worries of a larger famine looming.

Pope Leo XIV expressed concern for the humanitarian situation, urging for ample aid to be permitted into Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced plans for new aid systems in Gaza, which have been met with international scrutiny.

Since the beginning of renewed airstrikes on March 18, Gaza’s health ministry reported that over 3,500 people have been killed. The toll escalates to 53,655 fatalities since the onset of the assault in October 2023, according to Palestinian health authorities.