Gaza City, July 11, 2025 – Gaza’s civil defense agency reported that Israeli forces killed 18 people on Friday, including 10 shot while waiting for aid in the Al-Shakoush area northwest of Rafah, as violence escalates across the war-torn territory.
The attacks occurred amid ongoing Israeli military operations, with six additional deaths reported from four separate airstrikes in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza. Two drone strikes near Gaza City in the north claimed two more lives, according to civil defense spokesman Mahmud Bassal. The agency also noted five fatalities from an Israeli strike on Thursday night targeting a school sheltering displaced Palestinians in Jabalia Al-Nazla, northern Gaza. The United Nations reported that nearly 800 people have been killed while seeking food aid since late May, when Israel partially eased a two-month blockade, with most incidents occurring near Gaza Humanitarian Foundation facilities.
A witness in southern Gaza, speaking anonymously, described relentless attacks, including gunfire, airstrikes, artillery shelling, and the destruction of displacement camps and agricultural land near Khan Yunis. The Israeli military stated it was targeting “terrorist infrastructure” and seizing weapons in the area but did not comment on the specific strikes. Media restrictions and limited access make independent verification of casualty figures challenging.
The war, now in its 21st month, has displaced nearly all of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, many seeking refuge in schools repeatedly targeted by Israeli forces, who claim Hamas militants hide among civilians. The conflict has created severe humanitarian conditions, with widespread devastation and limited access to food and supplies.
