Daijiworld Media Network – Gaza
Gaza, Jun 18: At least 30 Palestinians were killed across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday following a fresh wave of Israeli strikes and gunfire, even as residents lamented that global attention is now focused on Israel’s escalating conflict with Iran rather than the continuing devastation in Gaza.
Health officials in Gaza said the dead included civilians struck in their homes, tent shelters, and while waiting for humanitarian aid. Medics confirmed that 14 people were killed in separate airstrikes targeting homes in the Maghazi refugee camp and the Zeitoun neighbourhood in central and northern Gaza. Five others died in a strike on a tent encampment in Khan Younis, and 11 were killed by Israeli fire while gathering for aid along the Salahuddin road.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it was reviewing the reports of civilian deaths near aid trucks. In other cases, the IDF stated it was acting to dismantle Hamas military infrastructure while attempting to minimize civilian harm.
The ongoing crisis has led to a staggering toll. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, 397 Palestinians have died and over 3,000 have been wounded since aid convoys resumed in late May — many of them while trying to collect food and supplies.
Residents say their suffering is being overlooked as headlines focus on the Iran-Israel standoff. "People are being slaughtered in Gaza, day and night, but attention has shifted to the Iran-Israel war," said Adel, a Gaza City resident. "People risk their lives every day to get food, and they get killed — their blood stains the sacks of flour they thought they had won."
Israel has facilitated some aid through the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a U.S.- and Israeli-backed body that operates in limited zones secured by Israeli forces. However, residents and rights groups allege the humanitarian situation remains dire. While Israel claims to ensure aid is not diverted to Hamas, the group denies any interference and accuses Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war.
The war began in October 2023 when Hamas-led militants launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing around 1,200 and taking 250 hostages. In response, Israel’s military offensive in Gaza has killed nearly 55,000 Palestinians, displaced millions, and triggered a hunger crisis.
Accusations of war crimes and genocide have been levelled against Israel, which it firmly denies.
Some Palestinians say they feel abandoned. "Maybe we are happy to see Israel suffer from Iranian rockets, but one more day in this war means more of our people die," said Shaban Abed, a 47-year-old father of five from northern Gaza. "We just hope the world finds a solution for Gaza too. We are being forgotten."