More than 50 Palestinians were killed and hundreds injured on Wednesday near the Zikim crossing in northern Gaza while attempting to access food aid, according to Gaza’s al-Shifa hospital. The deadly incident occurred as desperate civilians gathered around aid trucks in a region ravaged by war and famine, and coincided with the arrival of U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff in Israel, BBC reported.
Footage from the scene showed bodies and injured civilians being transported on carts to al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City. Local authorities claim Israeli forces opened fire on crowds waiting for food. “Israeli forces fired directly at civilians gathered near the crossing,” said a spokesperson from Gaza’s Hamas-run Civil Defence agency.
In contrast, the Israeli military acknowledged that its troops had fired warning shots but said it was “not aware of any casualties” in the area.
The tragedy unfolded as envoy Witkoff landed in Israel for high-level discussions amid growing tension over stalled ceasefire and hostage release negotiations. He is expected to meet with Israeli officials and visit aid distribution hubs operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an organisation jointly backed by the U.S. and Israel, and which has drawn criticism over alleged inefficiencies and politicisation of humanitarian relief.
Mounting Hunger Crisis
The incident adds to Gaza’s deepening humanitarian crisis. On Wednesday, Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry reported seven new deaths linked to malnutrition, bringing the total number of starvation-related fatalities to 154 since the war began in October 2023.
Global alarm is growing. The UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) said this week that the “worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out” in Gaza, where an estimated 2.1 million residents remain trapped amid widespread displacement, infrastructure collapse, and limited aid access.
UN agencies have blamed the humanitarian catastrophe on Israeli restrictions and logistical obstacles that block or delay vital supplies. Israel, however, continues to deny that it is limiting aid deliveries, insisting there is “no starvation” in the Gaza Strip and that any delays are due to operational or security concerns.
Israeli Measures Under Scrutiny
In a bid to ease criticism, Israel recently announced a series of new measures to facilitate aid distribution. These include daily “tactical pauses” in military activity in selected zones, the creation of “designated humanitarian corridors,” and coordination with UN agencies at key crossings.
Yet, aid groups and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) say these efforts are insufficient. OCHA officials note that the so-called pauses do not ensure a sustained or secure flow of aid, and that humanitarian convoys are often mobbed by starving civilians before reaching distribution points.
“The crowding and chaos at the crossings are a symptom of the desperation on the ground,” said one UN relief worker. “People are dying trying to reach food.”
As diplomatic efforts falter and the humanitarian crisis worsens, the international community is facing growing pressure to push for a ceasefire and ensure safe, unimpeded delivery of aid to Gaza. Wednesday’s tragedy has only sharpened the urgency.
