At least 43 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip on Thursday, according to medical sources, as a controversial aid organisation backed by Israel and the United States prepares to resume limited operations after a brief suspension.The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) announced the reopening of two aid distribution centres in Rafah, following a one-day shutdown for “maintenance and repair work.” The group urged civilians to use only access routes designated by the Israeli military, which warned that areas around the centres may be treated as active combat zones.The move to resume operations comes amid mounting criticism following multiple deadly incidents near aid sites. According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 27 people were killed and around 90 injured on Tuesday near a GHF facility. Similar incidents on Sunday and Monday reportedly claimed over 60 lives, with hundreds wounded.The Israeli military denied targeting civilians, stating that only warning shots were fired at individuals who deviated from designated paths or posed perceived threats. GHF also rejected reports of mass casualties at its locations, calling them “outright fabrications.”Contradicting those claims, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reported receiving 179 casualties from Sunday’s incident alone, with 21 pronounced dead on arrival. The ICRC confirmed that many victims were women and children suffering from gunshot or shrapnel wounds.International condemnation has grown over the escalating civilian toll. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called for an independent investigation into the deaths of aid seekers, urging accountability. The UK’s Middle East Minister described the events as “deeply disturbing,” criticising Israel’s aid delivery system as “inhumane.”Meanwhile, an Israeli drone strike on the Al Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza City killed at least seven people, including four journalists, according to local medical officials. The attack brings the total number of journalists killed in Gaza since October 2023 to 224, according to the territory’s Government Media Office.Elsewhere in the Strip, airstrikes continue to exact a heavy toll. Civil Defence authorities reported 48 additional deaths on Wednesday, including 18 people killed in a strike on a makeshift shelter in Khan Younis.In a separate development, the Israeli military confirmed the discovery of the bodies of two hostages taken during the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Their remains were found in Khan Younis. An estimated 56 hostages are still believed to be held in Gaza, with at least 20 presumed to be alive.Gaza’s Health Ministry reports that since the start of the conflict, 54,418 Palestinians have been killed and over 124,000 injured. Humanitarian conditions remain dire, as aid efforts continue to be disrupted by repeated violence and mass casualty incidents.
