By John Moses
At least 51 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday after Israeli tank shells struck a crowd waiting for humanitarian aid in Khan Younis, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The attack also left more than 200 others injured, with at least 20 in critical condition, local medical sources reported.
Eyewitnesses said Israeli tanks fired multiple shells at thousands of people gathered near aid trucks in the southern city, where desperate civilians have been queuing daily for food and assistance amid a worsening humanitarian catastrophe.
The Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis was quickly overwhelmed with casualties. Due to a severe shortage of medical resources and space, some victims had to be treated on the floor and in hospital corridors.
The Israeli military has yet to comment on the incident.
This latest strike is one of several deadly episodes in recent weeks involving Palestinians attempting to access humanitarian aid. On Monday, local health officials said 23 people were killed by Israeli gunfire near a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) distribution centre in Rafah.
The GHF, which is backed by the United States and operates four distribution centres in Gaza under Israeli security oversight, said it had delivered over three million meals without previous incidents. Israel has handed primary responsibility for aid distribution to the GHF in areas secured by its military.
The United Nations, however, has criticised this arrangement, warning that GHF-led aid efforts are unsafe, inadequate, and violate the principles of humanitarian neutrality and impartiality.
The current wave of violence stems from Hamas’s surprise cross-border attack on Israel in October 2023, which left approximately 1,200 Israelis dead and saw around 250 people taken hostage, according to Israeli authorities.
Israel’s military response has been devastating. Over 55,000 Palestinians have been killed in the offensive, Gaza’s Health Ministry says, while nearly the entire population has been displaced and faces extreme food insecurity.
The military campaign has drawn intense international scrutiny, including accusations of war crimes and genocide brought before both the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court. Israel has strongly rejected all such allegations.
