At least 51 Palestinians have been killed across the Gaza Strip since dawn on Wednesday including 21 aid seekers.
Medical sources told Al Jazeera that the casualties include 21 people who died during a chaotic incident at an aid distribution centre in southern Gaza.
The latest mass-casualty event occurred at a GHF (Global Humanitarian Foundation) facility in Khan Younis, where a stampede broke out. Most victims died from being trampled or suffocated, Gaza’s Ministry of Health said.
The ministry disputed an earlier claim from the GHF, which had alleged without evidence that “armed elements affiliated with Hamas” triggered the chaos. GHF also claimed one of its US contractors had been threatened with a gun and that weapons were visible among the crowd.
Palestinian authorities and witnesses have strongly rejected that account, stating the panic began after tear gas was fired at desperate civilians waiting for aid.
An earlier GHF statement said 19 people were trampled and one was stabbed in the melee. However, Gaza’s Health Ministry has since confirmed 21 deaths, noting that 15 died as a result of a stampede and suffocation.
The United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR) said the humanitarian toll continues to worsen, with 10 children per day losing one or both legs as a result of the conflict. More than 134,000 people, including over 40,500 children, have sustained war-related injuries since the conflict began.
OHCHR added that more than 35,000 people are believed to suffer from significant hearing loss due to explosions, warning of long-term medical and psychological trauma for Gaza’s civilian population.
The Israeli military has announced the opening of a new corridor in southern Gaza that divides the Khan Younis area into eastern and western zones.
Called the Magen Oz Corridor, the 15km route connects to the Morag Corridor, which was created in April to separate Khan Younis from Rafah.
Read: EU signals possible action against Israel over Gaza humanitarian crisis
According to a military statement, the corridor is intended to increase pressure on Hamas and dismantle the remaining brigade operating in the city.
Military analysts say the development signals a deepening Israeli campaign in southern Gaza, while humanitarian organisations warn the move could worsen civilian displacement and obstruct access to aid.
Meanwhile, the Israeli Ministry of Defence has submitted a revised plan to Netanyahu for “humanitarian city” in southern Gaza.
The new plan would cost 4 billion shekels ($1.2bn) and be completed within two months, Army Radio reported. The site would house 600,000 displaced Palestinians in tents, with access to water, food and electricity.
An earlier version of the plan, introduced by Defence Minister Israel Katz, was reportedly rejected by Netanyahu as too costly and logistically difficult.
Human rights organisations have condemned both iterations of the plan, calling it an attempt to forcibly relocate Palestinians into a confined zone drawing comparisons to a concentration camp.
Israeli media reports ‘dramatic progress’ in Gaza ceasefire talks
Indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas in Doha, Qatar, have made what Israeli media described as “dramatic progress” over the past 24 hours.
Talks, which began on 6 July, aim to secure a ceasefire and a prisoner exchange deal. According to Israel’s Channel 13, the breakthrough came after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli Security Cabinet agreed to ease some of their demands—particularly on the military’s continued presence in Gaza.
Unnamed officials told the outlet that the current framework includes a 60-day pause in Israeli operations, after which combat could resume. While Netanyahu has reportedly approved “additional flexibility” to move the process forward, he remains opposed to ending the war entirely.
Channel 13 quoted one Israeli official as saying “the road to a deal is now paved,” though no concrete timeline was offered for its conclusion.
Israel’s war on Gaza
Israel has carried out a devastating military campaign in Gaza since late October 2023, killing nearly 58,500 Palestinians, the majority of them women and children.
The relentless bombardment has levelled much of the besieged enclave, creating severe food shortages, collapsing health infrastructure, and fuelling the spread of disease.
In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice.
