Pope condemns ‘barbarity’ of Gaza war after 85 killed while queuing up for food

According to The Guardian citing Gaza’s health ministry, 69 of the victims were killed by Israeli fire while queuing for United Nations aid trucks at the Zikim crossing, near the border with Israel.

“This act, unfortunately, adds to the ongoing military attacks against the civilian population and places of worship in Gaza,” the pontiff said on Sunday, as per The Guardian. “I appeal to the international community to observe humanitarian law and respect the obligation to protect civilians, as well as the prohibition of collective punishment, the indiscriminate use of force, and the forced displacement of populations.”

Palestinians carry sacks of humanitarian aid unloaded from trucks convoy that had been heading to Gaza City, in the northern Gaza Strip, July 20. (AP Photo)

The World Food Programme (WFP) confirmed that a convoy of 25 trucks carrying food encountered “massive crowds of hungry civilians” shortly after entering Gaza, who then came under gunfire. “WFP reiterates that any violence involving civilians seeking humanitarian aid is completely unacceptable,” it said in a statement.

Dr Mohammed Abu Salmiya, director of al-Shifa hospital, told the Associated Press that the facility received 48 dead and 150 wounded people on Sunday morning. He could not confirm whether Israeli forces, armed gangs, or both were responsible for the casualties.

The Israeli military acknowledged that its troops had fired on a large crowd in northern Gaza, claiming the gathering posed a threat. It said it was aware of casualties but disputed the reported numbers, which it described as significantly higher than findings from its initial investigation.

Evacuation orders and airstrikes

Tensions escalated further as the Israeli military issued evacuation orders for parts of central Gaza, an area that has largely avoided ground operations until now and is home to numerous international aid agencies. Residents in Deir al-Balah reported airstrikes hitting residential homes, prompting dozens of families to flee with belongings in hand, according to Reuters.

The military said its forces were acting to “destroy the enemy’s capabilities and terrorist infrastructure”, warning civilians to leave targeted districts in south-west Deir al-Balah.

Palestinians flee Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, July 20, after the Israeli military issued evacuation orders ahead of expected operations in the area. (AP Photo)

On Sunday, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees accused Israel of “starving civilians in Gaza,” including a million children. The agency reported that babies were dying from severe acute malnutrition and repeated its call for unfettered access to humanitarian aid.

Since the shift to the US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) in May, food supplies have dwindled and prices have soared. The UN reported that as of 13 July, at least 875 people had died while trying to obtain food. Among them, 674 died near GHF sites, with others killed along aid routes.

Children fetching water for their families were also among the victims, the UN said, as per The Guardian.

The conflict was triggered by Hamas’s attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, which killed around 1,200 people and saw 251 hostages taken. According to Gaza’s health ministry, 58,895 Palestinians have been killed and 140,980 injured by Israeli military actions since the war began.

(With inputs from The Guardian)