Gaza City: According to Gaza’s civil defense agency, Israeli fire resulted in the deaths of at least 37 individuals on Saturday, including 30 civilians who were waiting to receive aid.

Mahmud Bassal, a spokesman for civil defense, informed AFP that 12 individuals were killed and nearly 200 were injured when Israeli forces opened fire on them as they gathered near a border crossing in northern Gaza, which has been utilized for aid deliveries.

Additionally, six more individuals were killed and 30 were injured after Israeli troops targeted civilians who were assembling near an aid distribution point in central Gaza, he stated.

Bassal also reported that strikes in central Gaza led to multiple casualties, while a drone strike near the southern city of Khan Yunis resulted in the deaths of at least three individuals and injuries to several others. Due to media restrictions in Gaza and challenges in accessing large areas of the territory, AFP is unable to independently verify the casualty figures and details provided by both the civil defense and the Israeli military.

Every day, thousands of Palestinians gather near food distribution points in Gaza, including four that are operated by the US- and Israeli-supported Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Since its launch in late May, the operations have been plagued by almost daily reports of Israeli forces firing on those waiting to collect aid.

Israeli restrictions on the entry of supplies into Gaza, which have been in place since the onset of the war nearly two years ago, have resulted in shortages of food and essential items, including medicine and fuel, which hospitals need to operate their generators.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under increasing pressure to agree to a ceasefire to prevent the more than two million residents of the territory from facing famine and to secure the release of hostages held by Palestinian militants. However, early on Friday, the Israeli security cabinet approved plans for a significant operation to take control of Gaza City, sparking widespread outrage around the world.

In spite of the backlash and speculation of dissent among the top ranks of the Israeli military, Netanyahu has remained resolute regarding the decision. In a social media post late Friday, he stated, “We will not occupy Gaza — we will liberate Gaza from Hamas.”

The Palestinian militant organization, whose assault on October 7, 2023, initiated the conflict, has condemned the proposal to escalate the fighting as a “new war crime.” Israel’s military campaign has resulted in the deaths of over 61,000 Palestinians, as reported by the health ministry in Gaza, which is controlled by Hamas, and these figures are deemed credible by the United Nations.

According to an AFP count based on official statistics, Hamas’s 2023 assault on Israel led to the fatalities of 1,219 individuals.