GAZA CITY, Palestine

At least 27 more Palestinians were killed and scores of others wounded on Saturday when the Israeli army opened fire on people waiting for food aid in central and northern Gaza, medical sources and witnesses said.

In central Gaza, 15 Palestinians lost their lives and dozens were injured when Israeli forces opened fire on a crowd of civilians waiting for food aid near a distribution site near the US-Israeli aid distribution centers near the Netzarim corridor.

Israeli military vehicles and drones fired indiscriminately at the crowd near the distribution site.

Separately, at least 12 Palestinians were killed and more than 50 injured when Israeli artillery shelled a group of civilians waiting for aid in northern Gaza’s Beit Lahia.

The Israeli army targeted civilians who had gathered after hearing rumors that aid trucks from international organizations would pass through the area.

According to UN agencies, Israel has blocked the entry of humanitarian, food, and medical supplies into the Strip since March 2, leading to widespread famine and the near-collapse of the health care system.

The Israeli army, rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, has pursued a brutal offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing nearly 55,300 Palestinians, most of them women and children.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.