Israeli Strikes Kill 44 Palestinians in Gaza as Officials Warn of Looming 'Man-Made Drought'

What Happened?

At least 44 Palestinians were killed in Gaza on Friday by Israeli fire as officials are now warning of a looming man-made drought in the enclave.

Many of the victims, at least 25, had reportedly been trying to get food when struck awaiting aid trucks in the central Gaza Strip.

The United Nations' children's agency (UNICEF) said the water systems in the region now face the possibility of collapse.

According to Reuters, the Israeli military said its troops had fired warning shots at suspected militants who advanced towards them in a crowd.

In a statement, IDF officials claimed an Israeli aircraft then 'struck and eliminated the suspects.'

Israeli officials acknowledged that others were hurt in the incident that was under review.

Gazan medics told officials that 19 other deaths were contributed from separate Israeli strikes across the enclave.

In addition to 12 deaths in a house in Deir Al-Balah, it brought Friday's total death toll to at least 44 as Israel had been called out for its recent actions.

The Palestinian militant group Hamas said Israel is using hunger as a weapon against the population of Gaza.

Hamas also accused Israel of systematically targeting Palestinians seeking food aid across the enclave.

Israel had reportedly denied those claims and instead accused Hamas of stealing food aid, which they denied.

Why it Matters

The Israeli military has continued its attacks in Gaza despite its recently grown conflict many miles away with Iran.

Israel's aggression has been questioned by those like UNICEF spokesperson James Elder.

He reportedly informed that many Gazan testimonials have revealed being injured while trying to receive humanitarian aid.

'There have been instances where information [was] shared that a [distribution] site is open, but then it’s communicated on social media that they’re closed, but that information was shared when Gaza’s internet was down and people had no access to it,' Elder stated.

According to The Guardian, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation releases information about opening hours online.

Those sites primarily consist of platforms such as Facebook that many Gazans cannot access.

Israel's tight blockades on humanitarian aid have threatened as many as 2.3 million people across the region who encounter the 'critical risk of famine.'

The UNICEF warned 'children will begin to die of thirst' with just 40% of drinking water production facilities remaining functional.

How it Affects You

Other countries have stepped up to issue sanctions toward the Israeli government for its morally viewed actions against Palestinians in Gaza.

Although places like the U.K. have threatened to take more action, many have turned to the U.S. to assist in applying such pressure.

President Donald Trump had recently informed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end its war in Gaza.

However, the Trump administration no longer views a Palestinian state or two-state solution with Israel as a U.S. policy goal.

It makes the odds of a foreseeable ceasefire between Israel and Hamas extremely low.

Israel's war objectives of permanent displacement are increasingly likely without interference from its ally the U.S.