Israeli forces kill 67 Palestinians waiting for aid in northern Gaza

At least 67 Palestinians were killed in Israeli army gunfire while waiting for aid in northern Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.

The attack, which also left many others injured, took place on Sunday (July 20), as civilians were gathered to receive humanitarian assistance, reports Al Jazeera.

In a separate incident on the same day, six people were killed in an assault on an aid distribution center in southern Gaza. This marks a troubling escalation in attacks on aid convoys, following a similar incident on Saturday in which 36 people lost their lives.

The Israeli military stated that troops fired warning shots due to the large crowds in northern Gaza but disputed the reported casualty numbers, suggesting they may be inflated. Israel also emphasized that it does not deliberately target humanitarian aid trucks.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) confirmed that a convoy of 25 food trucks entering Gaza was overwhelmed by a crowd of desperate people, with gunfire reported at the scene. The WFP condemned the violence, calling it "completely unacceptable."

A senior Hamas official expressed outrage over the rising death toll and the worsening food crisis, warning that the situation could derail ongoing ceasefire negotiations.

In a separate development, Israeli authorities have ordered evacuations in newly designated areas of Gaza, warning that regions sheltering large numbers of refugees are considered high-risk.