Israel Denies Palestinian Claim Its Forces Killed 20 Near Gaza Aid Distribution Center

The Palestinian Health Ministry accused Israeli forces of launching an attack near an aid distribution point in war-wracked northern Gaza, killing 20 people and wounding 155. The Israeli military said Friday that Palestinian gunmen opened fire in that attack and that none of its forces fired toward the waiting crowd or the aid convoy.

Some of those in the crowd near the Kuwaiti Roundabout, the aid distribution point, were run over by the trucks, the military said. The Israeli forces were securing a convoy of 31 aid trucks when the violence erupted late Thursday, it added.

Meanwhile, an aid ship loaded with some 200 tons of food was seen approaching Gaza's shores on Friday morning in a mission to inaugurate a sea route from Cyprus to help alleviate the humanitarian crisis in the enclave, five months into the war.

The ship, operated by the Spanish aid group Open Arms, left Cyprus on Tuesday towing a barge laden with food sent by World Central Kitchen, the charity founded by celebrity chef José Andrés.

The international community has been pushing for more aid to enter Gaza, frustrated with the growing humanitarian crisis and with Israel’s restrictions that have prevented more aid getting in by land. Australia announced early Friday it would resume funding to the United Nations relief agency for Palestinians and pledged additional money to UNICEF to provide urgent services in Gaza.

A quarter of Gaza’s population is starving, the United Nations has warned, and the territory's Health Ministry said Friday that at least 31,490 Palestinians have been killed in the war in Gaza. The ministry doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count, but says women and children make up two-thirds of the dead.

Some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed in southern Israel during the Hamas-led incursion on Oct. 7 that sparked the war. Around 250 people were abducted, and Hamas is believed to still be holding about 100 hostages.

HAMAS PROPOSES A 3-STAGE TRUCE THAT WOULD END THE WAR BUT WON'T GIVE UP ITS HOLD ON GAZA

BEIRUT — Hamas’ latest cease-fire proposal calls for a three-stage process, starting with a partial Israeli pullback from Gaza and the release of dozens of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for freeing all female hostages the militants are holding in the enclave.

The details of the proposal were first reported by the Al-Jazeera network and confirmed to The Associated Press by a Palestinian official on Friday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to reveal the content of the negotiations.

International mediators had been working to broker a six week truce before the onset of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan that started earlier this week. Hamas rejected any deal that would not lead to an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a permanent truce.

Hamas’ new proposal suggests three phases, six weeks each, according to the report.

In the first phase, Israeli forces would pull back from two major streets linking north and south Gaza and would allow hundreds of thousands of displaced people to return home and aid to reach the isolated north. Hamas would the release all the female Israeli soldiers being held in Gaza while Israel would release Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.

In the second stage, a permanent cease-fire would be declared and Hamas would release all the Israeli soldiers the militants have taken hostage.

In the third and last stage, reconstruction of Gaza would begin and the Israeli blockade of the Hamas-run enclave would be lifted.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called the proposal for the hostage release “unrealistic,” but said Israel would send negotiators to Doha for more talks.

—Bassem Mroue in Beirut;