The conflict in the Gaza Strip escalated significantly over the weekend, marked by deadly Israeli strikes and intense violence around desperately needed aid distribution points. The renewed intensity comes as the 20-month war between Israel and Hamas continues, now coinciding with a dangerous new front opened between Israel and Iran following reciprocal strikes.
Local health officials reported that at least 20 Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes across Gaza overnight and into Saturday, adding to the devastating toll of the conflict. Palestinian families in southern Gaza were once again forced to flee their homes on Friday following military action targeting the Khan Younis area.
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens: Violence at Aid Sites
Adding to the dire situation, at least 11 more Palestinians were killed overnight near food distribution sites. These points are operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a private contractor supported by Israel and the United States, intended to distribute aid in the besieged territory.
These GHF sites, located within military zones that are off-limits to independent media, have become flashpoints, experiencing near-daily shootings since opening last month. Accounts of the violence conflict:
Palestinian witnesses assert that Israeli forces fired directly into crowds gathered for food, leading to casualties. Mohamed Abu Hussein, a resident near the Bureij refugee camp, described seeing people fall as thousands fled gunfire about a kilometer from a distribution point.
The Israeli military stated it fired warning shots overnight to disperse a group near troops in the Netzarim corridor, claiming an aircraft struck one person who kept advancing. They denied awareness of gunfire near aid sites in Rafah during the reported incidents.
Hospitals across Gaza received the dead and wounded from these incidents. Al-Awda Hospital reported eight bodies and at least 125 wounded from a shooting near a GHF site in central Gaza. Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis received 16 dead, including five women, from multiple Israeli strikes, and noted three men were killed near two GHF sites in Rafah, now largely an uninhabited military zone. Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah reported four deaths from an Israeli strike in that area.
Despite GHF sites being closed on Saturday, thousands of desperate Palestinians gathered nearby, driven by the severe food shortages resulting from Israel’s blockade and military campaign, which have pushed Gaza to the brink of famine.
Meanwhile, Israel’s military reported that two projectiles were fired from Gaza, landing in open areas with no injuries.
The Battle Over Aid Delivery: Competing Systems
A significant dispute persists over how aid should reach Gaza’s population. Israel and the U.S. champion the GHF system as a replacement for the U.N.-run network, alleging that Hamas diverts U.N. aid to fund its militant activities.
U.N. officials strongly deny claims of significant aid diversion by Hamas. They argue the GHF system is inadequate to meet the overwhelming needs and fundamentally militarizes aid distribution by giving Israel control over access. They also contend it forces already displaced Palestinians to undertake perilous long journeys or relocate again. The U.N. states it has struggled to deliver aid even after Israel eased its blockade last month, citing persistent military restrictions and rising lawlessness within the territory.
Background to the Conflict
The current war was triggered on October 7, 2023, when Hamas fighters launched a devastating attack into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. While many hostages were released through ceasefire agreements, 53 remain captive, with less than half believed to be alive.
Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza has resulted in over 55,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry reports that women and children constitute over half of the fatalities but does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count. The offensive has caused widespread destruction across Gaza and displaced 90% of the territory’s approximately 2 million residents, leaving them heavily dependent on international aid.
Expanding Conflict: New Front Opens with Iran
The war has drawn in Iran and its regional allies, creating a dangerous cycle of escalation. This broader engagement culminated recently with significant Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear and military facilities on Friday, June 13, 2025. These strikes prompted retaliatory drone and missile attacks from Iran, marking the opening of a new, perilous front in the wider regional conflict.
References
- <a href="https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/nation-and-world/war-rages-on-in-gaza-after-israel-opens-a-new-front-with-iran-3385321/?utmcampaign=widget&utmmedium=sectionrow&utmsource=sportsgoldenknights&utmterm=War%20rages%20on%20in%20Gaza%20after%20Israel%20opens%20a%20new%20front%20with%20Iran”>www.reviewjournal.com
