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Men carry the bodies of people killed in an early morning incident at an aid distribution point in Gaza City on Thursday. (-/AFP/Getty Images)

Middle East conflict live updates 104 killed in Gaza City, officials say; Israel cites stampede at aid drop

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Officials in the Gaza Strip said more than 100 people were killed and hundreds more injured in Gaza City on Thursday, accusing Israeli forces of opening fire on a crowd of people waiting for humanitarian aid. Israel said an unspecified number of the casualties were caused by a stampede as residents scrambled to reach a convoy of trucks. Israeli forces opened fire on members of the crowd who approached soldiers in a manner deemed threatening, according to Israeli officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.

Key updates
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At least 30,035 people have been killed in Gaza and 70,457 injured since the war began, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. Israel estimates that about 1,200 people were killed in Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack and says 242 soldiers have been killed since the start of its military operation in Gaza.
Gaza is on the brink of famine, humanitarian groups say, as the volume of aid has plummeted in recent weeks and as convoys have struggled to make deliveries amid intense bombardment and disruption at border crossings.
Negotiations for a cease-fire and a release of hostages continue. Israel and Hamas have downplayed progress on a potential deal, while President Biden has expressed hope that a weeks-long cessation of fighting could start as soon as next week.
The head of Hamas’s political wing, Ismail Haniyeh, said Wednesday that the militant group has shown “flexibility” and “willingness” in the negotiations. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously accused Hamas of making “delusional demands” and said Tuesday that Israel would continue its campaign in Gaza “until total victory.”
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At least 30,035 people have been killed in Gaza and 70,457 injured since the war began, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. Israel estimates that about 1,200 people were killed in Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack and says 242 soldiers have been killed since the start of its military operation in Gaza.
Gaza is on the brink of famine, humanitarian groups say, as the volume of aid has plummeted in recent weeks and as convoys have struggled to make deliveries amid intense bombardment and disruption at border crossings.
Negotiations for a cease-fire and a release of hostages continue. Israel and Hamas have downplayed progress on a potential deal, while President Biden has expressed hope that a weeks-long cessation of fighting could start as soon as next week.
The head of Hamas’s political wing, Ismail Haniyeh, said Wednesday that the militant group has shown “flexibility” and “willingness” in the negotiations. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously accused Hamas of making “delusional demands” and said Tuesday that Israel would continue its campaign in Gaza “until total victory.”
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Israel-Gaza war

Israel-Gaza war: Families of Israeli hostages began a four-day march to Jerusalem on Wednesday, demanding that “no one should be left behind” in the Gaza Strip — as negotiations continue on a potential deal to pause fighting in Gaza in exchange for the release of more hostages. Israel and Hamas have downplayed progress on a deal, but President Biden has expressed hope that a weeks-long cease-fire could start as soon as next week.

Middle East conflict: Tensions in the region continue to rise. As Israeli troops aim to take control of the Gaza-Egypt border crossing, officials in Cairo warn that the move would undermine the 1979 peace treaty. Meanwhile, there’s a diplomatic scramble to avert full-scale war between Israel and Lebanon.

U.S. involvement: U.S. airstrikes in Iraq and Syria killed dozens of Iranian-linked militants, according to Iraqi officials. The strikes were the first round of retaliatory action by the Biden administration for an attack in Jordan that killed three U.S. service members.