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Gaza, July 13, 2025 – In a brutal escalation of violence, Israeli forces killed at least 10 Palestinians, including six children, who were attempting to collect drinking water at a distribution point in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza on Sunday, according to Al Jazeera. The attack, which left 16 others injured, underscores the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where access to food and clean water remains severely limited.Local residents reported to Al Jazeera that the water available at the Nuseirat camp is not potable. This incident marks the tenth attack on Palestinians seeking water in recent months. Gaza’s medical authorities confirmed that 59 people were killed across the territory on Sunday, including the 10 at the water distribution point. On Saturday, at least 110 Palestinians lost their lives, with 34 killed at an aid distribution center run by the controversial US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) in Rafah. **Starvation Claims 67 Children** Following an 11-week Israeli blockade, the GHF began distributing aid in Gaza on May 26, 2025. Since then, over 800 Palestinians have been killed while trying to access food at GHF centers, prompting criticism from the United Nations over the organization’s distribution methods and food quality. Al Jazeera’s correspondent Hani Mahmoud stated, “The food parcels provided by GHF are inadequate for starving children and families.” According to Gaza’s Public Relations Office, at least 67 children have died of starvation since Israel’s aggression began in October 2023. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) reported a surge in malnutrition cases in Gaza since March 2025, when Israel tightened its blockade, preventing UNRWA from delivering external aid. The conflict intensified after Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed approximately 1,200 people and led to the abduction of around 250 hostages. Since then, over 58,000 Palestinians have been killed and 138,000 injured in Gaza, per local health authorities. **Israel Points Finger at Hamas** Efforts to secure a ceasefire continue amid the ongoing violence. On July 6, indirect talks between Hamas and Israel commenced in Doha, Qatar, with hopes of a 60-day truce. However, sources cited by AFP indicate that Israel’s insistence on maintaining troop deployments in Gaza has derailed negotiations. Hamas demands a full withdrawal of Israeli forces, but Israel presented maps during talks that suggest plans for further troop deployment, which Hamas has rejected. Mediators have advised both sides to pause discussions until after a planned visit by US President Donald Trump and his envoy Steve Witkoff to Doha. Israel, however, has accused Hamas of obstructing progress by refusing to compromise. An Israeli official told AFP, “Israel has shown willingness to be flexible, but Hamas’s inflexible stance is hindering the mediators’ efforts to reach an agreement.”
