Three killed in stampede over bread at Gaza bakery

A tragic incident occurred in the central Gaza city of Deir el-Balah on Friday, where a child and two women were trampled to death in a stampede while attempting to buy bread. According to Deir el-Balah’s Al-Aqsa hospital, three people, including a young girl and two women, died in the stampede. Eyewitnesses described a scene of intense crowding and pushing outside the bakery. Suddenly, loud screams were heard, and several people fell to the ground, suffocated in the ensuing chaos.

Osama Abu Luban, the father of the young girl who died, shared his grief, stating he had gone to the market with his daughter, and she had barely managed to grab a loaf of bread before being swept away by the crowd. He later discovered her lifeless body.

The incident comes amidst a worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where the UN World Food Program reported widespread bakery closures due to supply shortages caused by the ongoing Israeli siege, exacerbating the already dire situation. The siege, imposed after the October 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel, has left the population struggling with severe food shortages and acute malnutrition, particularly among children. The UN has repeatedly urged Israel to allow more aid into Gaza to alleviate the crisis.

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