Israeli forces kill 51 Palestinians waiting for flour at Gaza aid site, witnesses and rescuers say

Tuesday’s attack is the latest in almost daily shootings that have been taking place near aid distribution sites in Gaza

It is the latest, and potentially the deadliest, of the almost daily shootings that have been taking place recently near aid distribution sites in Gaza.

The Israeli military has told the BBC it is looking into the reports.

The Hamas-run civil defence agency said Israeli troops fired on crowds near the aid site in Khan Younis. More than 200 people were reportedly injured.

Israeli forces have killed more than 51 Palestinians and wounded many more after opening fire near an aid distribution site in southern Gaza, witnesses and rescuers say.

Almost all the casualties in Gaza in recent days have been linked to the delivery of aid rather than Israeli strikes on Hamas targets.

Witnesses say that Israeli forces opened fire and shelled an area near a junction to the east of Khan Younis, where thousands of Palestinians had been gathering in the hope of getting flour from a World Food Programme (WFP) site, which also includes a community kitchen nearby.

A local journalist and eyewitnesses said Israeli drones fired two missiles, followed shortly after by a shell from an Israeli tank positioned between 400 and 500m away from the crowd. The explosions caused many casualties.

The crowd had assembled near a key road leading to the town of Bani Suheila, an area that has seen weeks of ongoing Israeli military operations.

Nasser Hospital, the main functioning medical facility in the area, has been overwhelmed by the number of casualties. It is so overcrowded that the many wounded are lying on the floor as medical staff treat their injuries.

Video showing the immediate aftermath of the incident and shared on social media has been located by BBC Verify to a location in Khan Younis. Gaza’s civil defence agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP that at least 50 people were killed. “Israeli drones fired at the citizens. Some minutes later, Israeli tanks fired several shells at the citizens, which led to a large number of martyrs and wounded,” he said.

In a statement the IDF said “a gathering was identified adjacent to an aid distribution truck that got stuck in the area of Khan Younis, and in proximity to IDF troops operating in the area.”

It said it was “aware of reports regarding a number of injured individuals from IDF fire following the crowd’s approach” and the incident was under review.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said it had received reports of a mass casualty incident.

“This is again the result of another food distribution initiative,” said Thanos Gargavanis, WHO trauma surgeon and emergency officer.

“There’s a constant correlation with the positions of the four announced food distribution sites and the mass casualty incidents,” he added, saying the trauma injuries in recent days were mostly from gunshot wounds.

For weeks, medical staff have warned that Nasser Hospital could be overwhelmed and unable to continue to operate under the pressure of multiple casualties, lack of medical supplies and Israeli evacuation orders in the surrounding area.

In recent days, the hospital has been dealing with an almost daily influx of casualties from shooting incidents near the aid distribution sites run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) – backed by Israel and the US – in southern and central Gaza.

In almost all those incidents, witnesses have said that Israeli troops opened fire, although there have also been reports of local armed gunmen shooting at people.

The response from the IDF has usually been to say that its troops warned people not to approach them – and then fired warning shots when what the IDF calls “suspects” acted in a manner deemed to pose a threat. The Israeli army has provided little or no detail beyond this.

Israel does not allow international news organisations including the BBC into Gaza, making verifying what is happening there difficult.

The GHF has also responded to the shootings by saying that they should not be mentioned in connection to their operations, as the incidents are happening away from their sites.

But there is no doubt that thousands of Palestinians would not be gathered in desperate search for limited supplies of food in those areas if it were not for the way that the new distribution system has been set up.

The IDF has also told Palestinians not to head to aid distribution sites between 18:00 and 06:00 local time. But in order to reach the sites and have a chance of getting food, people have little option.

Verified video from GHF sites show huge crowds of Palestinians rushing to try to get food parcels with no apparent control from the organisation. It has already closed its sites briefly on at least two occasions to try to improve security.

The other way of getting aid into Gaza – with around 100 trucks a day allowed in by Israel – has also also increasingly seen people being shot as they try to get to the supplies, whether from distribution points or from the aid convoy itself as it travels towards them.

It’s a sign of a breakdown both in security in Gaza and in the aid distribution system itself.

Hamas has responded to the latest incident by again describing the aid centres as death traps.

Looting among a population desperate for scarce supplies of food – with criminal gangs, militias and Hamas also operating for their own ends – has rendered the situation even more perilous.

Critics see the GHF as enabling a plan by the Israeli government to displace Palestinians south into smaller areas of Gaza. But Israel – which has long sought to remove the UN as the major humanitarian provider to Palestinians – argues the alternative system was needed to stop Hamas stealing aid.

On Monday, the UN human rights chief Volker Turk said that Israel was weaponising food and called for a full investigation into the shootings.

The head of Unrwa – the UN agency for Palestinian refugees – Philippe Lazzarini has said that in Gaza ‘tragedies go on unabated while attention shifts elsewhere’.

Yet there seems to be no plan from Israel, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation or the international community to find a way to prevent the near daily killing of Palestinians, as they take their lives in their hands to seek a meagre supply of food.

It has been 20 months since Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led cross-border attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

More than 55,297 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory’s health ministry.

Iranians describe fear and sadness over Trump evacuation warning

2 hours ago Share Save Azadeh Moshiri and Fiona Nimoni BBC Pakistan correspondent Share Save

Getty Images Traffic congestion has made leaving Tehran difficult as large numbers of people attempt to flee

Many Iranians have reacted with fear and dismay at Donald Trump’s instruction to “immediately evacuate Tehran”. The capital’s almost 10 million residents have now been left to decide whether to shelter in their homes – bracing themselves for what could come next – or attempt to join the heavy traffic leaving the country’s capital. President Trump made his comments just moments before cutting short his trip to the G7 in Canada, leaving many wondering if this could mean a further escalation in the conflict between Israel and Iran was imminent. Many of those deciding to leave Tehran are posting images of their homes online, a poignant trend in Persian-language social media for those leaving their city behind.

Watch: Trumps says “it’s safer” for Iranians to evacuate Tehran

BBC journalists are currently unable to report in Iran due to restrictions by the Iranian government. However, BBC Persian and other BBC correspondents have received messages from people affected. They have also conducted interviews and monitored social media to gather people’s stories. Many fear speaking to media could put them at risk inside Iran, so real names have not been used. Some Iranians had already taken the decision to leave well before Israel issued the first evacuation order for parts of Tehran on Monday. One resident, Arash, set off from Tehran at about 08:45 on Monday, driving through the town of Qazvin, in north-western Iran. A journey that would typically last an hour-and-a-half took him nearly five hours. “Many, especially those who live abroad, are trying to leave the country,” he said.

Social media A picture of a Tehran resident’s home posted on social media

Many more Iranians living in Tehran have decided to leave since Monday, braving traffic jams of up to 14 hours and fuel queues to flee – unsure if their homes will still be standing when they return. It is expected that even more will attempt to make the arduous journey out of Tehran following Trump’s comments. Posting on social media, one resident wrote: “I packed up keepsakes from loved ones and necessities, watered my plants, and hit the road. Leaving home is unbearably hard when you don’t know if you’ll ever return.” Another said: “My home has never felt this sad. I don’t know if I’ll ever come back.” One user posted a picture of a workspace, with a computer and headphones, and wrote: “I said goodbye to the things I worked so hard to earn… I hope they’ll still be here when I return.” Another added: “I said goodbye in silence, hoping to return one day to my beautiful safe haven.”

Social media People leaving Tehran have posted images on social media of the homes they fear they will not return to

‘Where would I go?’

Others in Iran’s largest city feel the evacuation orders are simply impossible to follow. Narges has decided to stay in Tehran, despite becoming increasingly afraid. “Ever since Trump urged people to leave last night, it seems like many more are fleeing.” She says the roads are “overflowing” and “the traffic is a nightmare”. Narges sees no point in trying to leave and being trapped on the road. Israel’s strikes in Tehran on Iran’s state broadcaster on Monday served as a reminder of the risk she is taking. She lives near the headquarters. “It was terrifying, and so close,” she said. Some residents have decided to stay put because of elderly parents, young children, pets, medical needs, or simply lack of options. One woman told BBC Persian she was pregnant and had a young daughter: “Everything I’ve built is here… where would I go?” Another said she was single and did not want to risk undertaking the 800km journey to her family in Shiraz alone. And a woman who said she was 40 years old and had two small children told the BBC she was “not going anywhere”. “If everything is going to be ruined, then I’d rather my kids and I go with our home – because I don’t have the strength to start over again.”

EPA Some Israeli air strikes have hit residential areas

G7 leaders urge ‘de-escalation’ but stop short of calling for Israel-Iran ceasefire

2 hours ago Share Save James Landale and Nadine Yousif BBC News, Kananaskis and Toronto Share Save

Watch: A trade deal, a family photo and conflict in the Middle East – Trump’s short G7

The leaders of G7 nations have urged a “de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza” – but stopped short of calling for a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, during their summit in Canada. The joint statement was signed by US President Donald Trump – who then left the meeting early, his intentions unclear. His press secretary said this was because of events in the Middle East. The president himself merely said he was returning to Washington for “big stuff”, but denied this was related to a ceasefire. He earlier urged Iranians to “immediately evacuate Tehran”. This triggered speculation that US forces might join Israel’s attacks – something denied by American officials.

The gathering of world leaders at Kananaskis, in the Canadian Rockies, has been overshadowed by the Middle East conflict. The leaders’ statement, published as Trump left Canada, said Israel had a right to defend itself, and that Iran was a source of terror that should not have a nuclear weapon. Its call for a resolution of the crisis that led to a broader de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East amounted to a diplomatic compromise that preserved G7 unity but watered down the statement’s impact. As he left, Trump told reporters: “I have to be back early for obvious reasons.” He later wrote again on Truth Social, lambasting another G7 attendee, President Emmanuel Macron of France. Trump said his “publicity seeking” counterpart mistakenly suggested he was working on a ceasefire. “Wrong! He has no idea why I am now on my way to Washington, but it certainly has nothing to do with a Cease Fire,” Trump wrote. “Much bigger than that. Whether purposely or not, Emmanuel always gets it wrong. Stay Tuned!” G7 leaders had said they understood Trump’s need to leave early. “If the United States can achieve a ceasefire, that’s a very good thing,” said Macron. Follow all the latest on Israel-Iran conflict

‘Nowhere feels safe’: Iranians on life under Israeli attacks

Israelis survey damage in city hit by Iranian missile Reports circulated that Trump had instructed the White House National Security Council to meet upon his return. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced the “deployment of additional capabilities” to the Middle East to enhance the Pentagon’s “defensive posture”, despite US officials’ denial that they were about to join the Israeli offensive. Trump’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, was at pains to emphasise that Trump had “a great day” at the summit, saying much was accomplished, including a trade deal between the US and UK. She did not elaborate on his departure other than to say it was because of “what’s going on in the Middle East”. Trump’s exit means he will miss in-person meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum that were scheduled for Tuesday, the final day of the summit.

Trump’s encouragement to Iranians to evacuate their capital, Tehran, has been pinned to the top of this Truth Social account. It gives no further information. In the same social media post, Trump suggested that Iran should have signed a deal that he put forward during the most recent talks over Iran’s nuclear programme. “Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON,” he wrote. “I said it over and over again!” Israel’s endgame may be regime change in Iran – but it’s a gamble

Israel-Iran strikes: What are the worst-case scenarios? Shortly after the post, in the early hours of Tuesday, Iranian media reported explosions and heavy air defence fire in Tehran. Hours before, Israel targeted Iran’s state broadcaster, forcing a presenter to flee mid-broadcast. In Israel, air raid sirens wailed in Tel Aviv and an explosion was heard as Iranian missiles targeted the country again.

Moment debris falls in Iran state TV studio after Israeli strikes

There were signs of division earlier at the G7 over conflicts between Russia and Ukraine and between Israel and Iran. Trump had been planning to reject the statement on the Israel-Iran conflict, according to the BBC’s US partner CBS News. But the leaders ultimately agreed their statement, released on Monday night local time, which said they “reiterate our support for the security of Israel”. “Iran is the principal source of regional instability and terror. We have been consistently clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon,” the statement added. Trump also said at the summit earlier that it had been a “big mistake” for the former G8 to expel Russia from the group in 2014 after it annexed Crimea. “Putin speaks to me,” said the US president. “He doesn’t speak to anybody else… he’s not a happy person about it.” But there was some progress as President Trump formally signed off a UK-US trade deal removing some trade barriers between the two countries. Trump told reporters the UK was “very well protected” from future import taxes. “You know why? Because I like them.”

Israeli paramedics on the ground of missile strike in Haifa

Fast-track grooming gang inquiry, councillor says

Image source, PA Media Image caption, Councillor Azhar Ali said a national inquiry into grooming gangs “should have happened years ago”

Author, Gina Millson

Role, Politics reporter, BBC Lancashire

2 hours ago

The full national inquiry into grooming gangs should be fast-tracked, a councillor has said.

Sir Keir Starmer has announced there would be a full, national statutory inquiry after earlier facing criticism for not being willing to set one up.

Councillor Azhar Ali, the Independent opposition leader at Lancashire County Council, said “it should have happened years ago”.

“It’s really important that other perpetrators are brought through the justice system rapidly and the National Crime Agency is given all the tools and resources to deal with it,” he said.

‘Put victims first’

“There have been other inquiries in the past, but this is really important now that the government seizes this opportunity with both hands,” he said, “not for the government’s sake, but for the victims and survivors.”

“We know very well that child abuse is perpetrated by people of all races and inflicted on all races and religions.

“We also know that some child abuse starts in the family or close family friends.

“Now is the time to put the victims first.”

He said the investigation “must deal with the institutional failings from statutory agencies including the police and local government”.

“The victims and survivors must be at the heart of any inquiry.,” he added.

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Police appeal after burglars target church

Image source, PA Media Image caption, A crowbar had been used to open the door

2 hours ago

Police are appealing for information after a church was burgled in near Dudley.

Staffordshire Police were called to to St John’s Close in Swindon on 7 June, although it is believed thieves had targeted the Evangelist church between 18 May and 1 June.

Two silver alter candles, a brass table lectern, a silver cross and brass candles with wooden attachments were stolen. A crowbar was used to open the door while the alter was left dishevelled.

Police community support officer Louise Jones said: “The thieves took religiously significant items which are highly important to the church and its congregation.”

She added that the burglars had targeted the church in between regular services it holds on the first and third week of the month.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact 101 and quote the incident number 283 of 7 June.

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