Again, Israeli forces attack Palestinians waiting to receive aid as US Vice calls for ceasefire

In yet another attack on civilians, no fewer than nine people were killed and several others injured when Israeli forces shelled a Palestinian crowd collecting humanitarian aid on Sunday.

Medical sources told Anadolu, on condition of anonymity, that they were attacked in central Gaza while waiting to collect life-saving aid in the war-torn territory.

The latest attack was the second in the last five days on displaced Palestinians in Gaza while waiting for humanitarian aid in the enclave.

Reacting to the incident, Palestinian group Hamas condemned the attack while describing it as part of Israel’s “war of genocide and ethnic cleansing.”

It added in a statement that the systematic starvation and depriving people of obtaining humanitarian aid are pillars of the Israeli war on Gaza.

Meanwhile, United States (US) Vice President Kamala Harris has called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, as she highlighted a humanitarian catastrophe unfolding as a result of the war between Hamas and Israel.

Harris cited the immense scale of suffering in Gaza as making the case for an immediate ceasefire, at least for the next six weeks.

“Given the immense scale of suffering in Gaza, there must be an immediate ceasefire for at least the next six weeks, which is what is currently on the table,” Harris said on Sunday.

“This will get the hostages out and get a significant amount of aid in.”

She charged Israel to do more to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

“People in Gaza are starving. The conditions are inhumane and our common humanity compels us to act,” Harris said during a speech to mark the violent suppression of civil rights protesters by police in Selma, Alabama on March 7, 1965.

“The Israeli government must do more to significantly increase the flow of aid. No excuses.”

At least 30,410 Palestinians have been killed and 71,700 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7.

The revised death toll in Israel from the October 7 Hamas attacks stands at 1,139.