At least 16 Palestinians were killed in overnight Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, local health officials said Saturday, as the 20-month-long war with Hamas continues even after Israel opened a new front with heavy strikes on Iran late Thursday.In a separate incident, 11 more Palestinians were also killed overnight near food distribution centers run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a private contractor backed by Israel and the US. These sites see almost daily shootings since they began operating last month. Witnesses claim Israeli forces fired on crowds of civilians, while the military maintains it only fired warning shots at suspects approaching its troops. The military has not responded to the latest reports.Despite GHF announcing closures on Saturday, thousands of desperate civilians gathered near the aid sites seeking food. Gaza’s long-running blockade and the ongoing military operations have pushed the territory toward famine.Al-Awda Hospital in central Gaza reported receiving eight bodies and treating at least 125 injured from a shooting incident near a GHF site. In Khan Younis, the Nasser Hospital confirmed receiving 16 bodies, including five women, from Israeli airstrikes that occurred late Friday and early Saturday. Another three men were reported killed near two GHF sites in Rafah, now largely emptied and designated a military zone.The new aid distribution network, supported by Israel and the US, is intended to replace the UN-run system. Israel and the US have accused Hamas of diverting UN aid to support its militant operations. However, UN officials dispute these claims, arguing that the new system cannot meet the growing humanitarian needs and has instead militarized aid access.The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas fighters launched a surprise attack in southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Fifty-three hostages remain in Gaza, with less than half believed to be alive.Israel’s retaliation has since killed more than 55,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which says women and children make up over half the toll. As the Gaza conflict continues, Israel’s strikes on Iran’s nuclear and military sites have drawn the region further into crisis, triggering retaliatory missile and drone attacks by Iran and escalating the scope of the conflict.
