Dozens Killed as Israeli Strikes Hit Gaza Market and Water Point

Dozens Killed as Israeli Strikes Hit Gaza Market and Water Point
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Recent Israeli air strikes have killed at least 95 Palestinians in Gaza, hitting a crowded market in Gaza City and a water collection point in the Nuseirat refugee camp, as the war’s death toll surpassed 58,000.

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, an Israeli strike on Gaza City’s market on Sunday killed at least 17 people, including well-known doctor Ahmed Qandil. In Nuseirat, a missile strike on a water distribution site killed at least 10 people, seven of whom were children collecting drinking water. Seventeen others were wounded.

The Israeli military said the Nuseirat strike targeted a Palestinian fighter but veered off course due to technical failure, a claim that could not be independently verified. International legal expert Jessica Dorsey questioned the explanation, pointing to a repeated pattern of civilian casualties.

The Ministry of Health said the total death toll since the conflict began on October 7, 2023, has risen to 58,026, with more than half being women and children. Over 138,500 others have been injured. The United Nations warns that Gaza’s 2.1 million residents face severe famine, as blockades continue to limit aid and fuel.

UNICEF reported that over 5,800 children were treated for malnutrition in June alone. On Sunday, UNRWA confirmed the death of a seven-month-old girl from malnutrition — the latest of at least 67 such deaths among children since the conflict began.

Eight UN agencies, including UNICEF and the World Health Organization, warned that fuel shortages threaten to shut down hospitals, water and sanitation services, and aid deliveries. They called for unrestricted fuel access to keep life-saving operations running.

Meanwhile, Gaza’s Government Media Office accused Israel and private contractors of deliberately targeting civilians at aid points, calling US-backed distribution sites “death traps.” Since May, at least 805 people have been killed while trying to collect aid. Peace talks continue in Doha, but progress remains slow. Palestinian Islamic Jihad leaders say Israel is resisting key ceasefire terms.