The World Food Program condemns Israeli forces for firing on one of its convoys in Gaza in an “unacceptable” incident.
Recent Israeli attacks have killed and injured dozens of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, as talks are underway to reach a truce deal in the besieged territory.
Medical sources told Tel Aviv Tribune Arabic that Israeli shelling injured around 40 people on Monday north of the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. Casualties, including children, were also reported in the al-Mawasi area near Khan Younis.
The Palestinian Civil Defense said it had recovered the bodies of three people killed in Israeli shelling in Nuseirat and another person in Khirbet al-Adas, north of Rafah.
Gaza’s health ministry said earlier Monday that at least 49 people had been killed in the previous 24 hours, bringing the Palestinian death toll from the war to 45,854.
Israel has been killing dozens of Palestinians in Gaza daily since the war began in October 2023. It has also imposed a stifling blockade on the territory and displaced almost its entire population.
Severe winter conditions have added to the woes of Palestinians sheltering in makeshift tents, already struggling with hunger and lack of medical care.
The Gaza government’s media office said Monday that eight displaced Palestinians had died due to intense cold in recent weeks, warning that the number could rise due to dire conditions in the territory.
“We hold the Israeli occupation fully responsible for the deterioration of humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip as well as the US administration and countries that supported and participated in the genocide,” the office said in a statement.
He called on international organizations and Arab and Muslim countries to urgently intervene to save civilians in Gaza.
The World Food Program (WFP) on Monday accused Israeli forces of having fired on one of its convoys the day before.
He called the shooting, which caused no casualties, “unacceptable.”
“The World Food Program strongly condemns the horrific incident on January 5, when a clearly marked WFP convoy was fired upon by Israeli forces near the Wadi Gaza checkpoint, putting the lives of our staff at risk and leaving vehicles immobilized,” WFP said. in a statement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant face arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes in Gaza, including the use of “starvation as a method of warfare “.
Amid the violence and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, diplomatic efforts continued to reach a ceasefire agreement that would lead to the release of Israeli captives held by Hamas and other Palestinian groups.
Hamas officials told several media outlets on Monday that the group was prepared to release 34 Israeli prisoners in the first stage of the deal that would also see the release of an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
It is unclear how many Israeli captives on the initial list are still alive. Hamas said Israeli bombings had killed several prisoners since the start of the war.
Israeli media reported Monday that Mossad chief David Barnea had postponed his trip to Doha to finalize the deal, pending Hamas’ response to a proposal.
The new President of the United States, Donald Trump, reaffirmed Monday that “there would be hell to pay” if the prisoners are not released by his return to the White House for a second term on January 20.
