Israeli forces shot and killed four Palestinians seeking aid in a military zone south of Gaza City, adding to the rising number of deaths among those trying to access food as famine spreads across the Gaza Strip. Witnesses described indiscriminate gunfire as crowds approached a distribution site operated by an American contractor. The incident comes amid intensified Israeli military activity in northern Gaza, with residents reporting heavy explosions and widespread destruction as the army prepares for a major offensive to seize Gaza City.

According to Gaza's Health Ministry, more than 2,000 Palestinians have died while seeking aid, and overall casualties in the war have surpassed 62,000, with malnutrition-related deaths continuing to climb. The humanitarian crisis has deepened, with international authorities confirming famine in Gaza City and warning it could spread further south. Despite calls for evacuation, many Palestinians remain trapped, exhausted by repeated displacement and skeptical of the safety of designated humanitarian zones.