International outcry over images of emaciated children and increasing reports of hunger-related deaths have pressured Israel to let more aid into the Gaza Strip.

The hunger crisis in Gaza has many asking if Israel had a deliberate policy of starving civilians. Israelis say that was never the case, but an ignorance of Palestinian suffering allowed an inconsistent government policy to lead to a calamity.

President Donald Trump's special envoy inspected a US-backed food distribution centre in war-torn Gaza on Friday, as the UN rights office reported that Israeli forces had killed hundreds of hungry Palestinians waiting for aid.

A Gaza civil defence spokesperson told the AFP news agency that Israeli fire wounded around 300 more people. Israel said details of the incident "are still being examined". The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said they fired "warning shots" after Gazans gathered around aid trucks 3km southwest of the Zikim crossing,

At least 37 people were killed and 270 were injured while seeking aid in northern Gaza near the Zikim crossing, according to the director of Gaza's Al-Shifa Hospital.

Vt., continues efforts to block arms sales to Israel, and the latest vote is expected Thursday after previous attempts since December 2023.

The two resolutions failed by 73 to 24, and 70 to 27, in the 100-member chamber in voting late on Wednesday night. Two resolutions that would have blocked arms sales to Israel in response to civilian casualties in Gaza were blocked in the US Senate on Wednesday,