In a deeply disturbing development, Gaza’s Civil Defence authority has confirmed that 26 people were killed after Israeli strikes hit areas near two humanitarian aid centres. The attacks took place late Thursday night in central Gaza, and eyewitnesses described scenes of panic as families rushed to find loved ones amid the rubble.

According to Civil Defence spokesperson Mahmoud Basal, both aid points were actively serving displaced civilians when the airstrikes occurred. “We are working under the assumption that these were misidentified targets, but the outcome is the same lives lost and fear spreading,” Basal said, visibly shaken.

Among the victims were women and children who had sought refuge near what they believed to be protected zones. One local volunteer, Laila Hassan, said, “They came to get food and water. Now we’re pulling their bodies out.”

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) have not commented directly on the strike near the aid centres, but stated that recent operations were targeting “Hamas infrastructure embedded within civilian areas.”

This latest incident has intensified humanitarian alarm, drawing condemnation from international agencies and rights groups. The UN has out for an immediate investigation and urged all parties to ensure the protection of relief zones.

As medical teams are working in hospitals struggling with congestion and lack of resources, the total number of people who died in the ongoing struggle is continuously increasing. Civil defence teams, which are already working in limited resources, say that their mission is becoming almost impossible due to these repeated attacks.

Meanwhile, global leaders are once again demanding a ceasefire, warning that there will be long -term consequences of constant ignoring human protocols. But for those families who are burying their loved ones, the loss has already been done.