Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinians seeking food aid in Gaza on Wednesday, killing at least 25 people, according to health officials and witnesses, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signalled his intention to “allow” residents to leave ahead of a planned military offensive in densely populated areas.
The shootings occurred near multiple aid distribution points, including the Teina and Netzarim corridor areas, where witnesses described chaos as people fled under gunfire. “Many were shot and fell while fleeing,” said Hashim Shamalah, who was among those seeking assistance. Nasser and Awda hospitals confirmed receiving the bodies. Israel did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Netanyahu, during a televised interview, linked his stance to a long-term vision of “voluntary migration” for Gaza’s more than 2 million residents, a plan critics have warned amounts to forced displacement. “Give them the opportunity to leave! First, from combat zones, and also from the Strip if they want. We are not pushing them out but allowing them to leave,” he said.
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The remarks come as Israel prepares to widen its offensive to areas it has yet to seize from Hamas, including Gaza City, home to hundreds of thousands of displaced people. The military campaign, now in its tenth month, began after the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack that killed about 1,200 people and saw 251 abducted, according to Israeli figures. Around 50 hostages remain in captivity, of whom Israel believes 20 are alive.
Ceasefire efforts remain stalled. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty told reporters Cairo is still advancing a proposal for a 60-day halt to fighting, the release of some hostages, and increased humanitarian access. Hamas insists any agreement must include a permanent ceasefire, Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and the release of Palestinian prisoners.
The Gaza Health Ministry, part of the Hamas-run administration, said the death toll from the war has surpassed 61,700, roughly half of them women and children. UN agencies warn the territory is on the brink of famine, with 106 children and 129 adults reported dead from malnutrition-related causes since late June.
Violence also flared in the occupied West Bank, where a Palestinian man was fatally shot by an Israeli settler near the village of Duma. The Israeli military said the settler, an off-duty soldier, fired in self-defence after being pelted with rocks. The deceased, identified as 35-year-old Thamin Dawabshe, was related to a family killed in a 2015 settler arson attack.
Meanwhile, South Sudan has denied reports it was in talks with Israel to resettle Palestinians, calling such claims “baseless.”
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