Gaza Civil Defence Reports 40 Killed by Israeli Fire in One Day

Gaza’s civil defence agency announced on Saturday that Israeli military operations killed 40 people across the besieged Palestinian territory, which has endured more than 21 months of continuous conflict.

According to civil defence spokesperson Mahmud Bassal, the deaths occurred in a series of airstrikes, drone attacks, artillery fire, and incidents of live gunfire, including strikes on displaced persons and civilians waiting for humanitarian aid.

Casualties by Region and Cause

The victims were spread across multiple governorates, with the strikes occurring throughout northern, central, and southern Gaza.

Reported Deaths – 27 July

Total Fatalities: 40

Aid Queue Turned Deadly

Among the 14 killed by gunfire were people waiting for humanitarian aid, the agency reported. One fatality occurred northwest of Gaza City, in the Zikim area near Sudaniyah, where eyewitnesses said thousands had gathered in anticipation of aid distribution.

“The Israeli military opened fire while people were waiting to approach the distribution point,” said Abu Samir Hamoudeh, 42, a witness at the scene.

The Israeli military confirmed firing warning shots, citing the presence of an “immediate threat”, but stated it was unaware of any resulting casualties.

Israeli Military Response

The Israeli military released a statement saying its operations targeted a “terrorist cell” planting explosive devices aimed at Israeli soldiers. It claimed that in the past 24 hours, its air force struck over 100 terror targets across Gaza.

Additionally, the military insisted that warning shots had been fired only to disperse crowds perceived as threatening, and maintained that no casualties were confirmed on their part.

Recovery Efforts in Rafah

Bassal added that 12 more bodies were retrieved from northern Rafah following Israeli bombardment the previous night. The recovery, conducted in coordination with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), ended with the remains being transported to Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis.

Challenges to Independent Verification

Due to media restrictions and security constraints, international agencies, including AFP, report significant challenges in independently verifying the figures and incident details provided by civil defence and other sources on the ground.

Context of the Conflict

The current military campaign by Israel in Gaza began after a Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to AFP’s tally based on official Israeli data.

Since then, the Palestinian Health Ministry, under Hamas authority, reports that 59,733 Palestinians have been killed, with the vast majority being civilians.

Conflict Overview

The humanitarian crisis continues to escalate in Gaza, with aid access, civilian safety, and accountability remaining urgent international concern