Gaza aid convoy deaths threaten cease-fire talks

​Palestinians carry bags of flour they grabbed from an aid truck near an Israeli checkpoint in Gaza City, February 19, 2024.
Palestinians carry bags of flour they grabbed from an aid truck near an Israeli checkpoint in Gaza City, February 19, 2024.
REUTERS/Kosay Al Nemer

The WHO on Friday warned that the health system in Gaza is "more than on its knees."

This came a day after over 100 people were killed in Gaza as a desperate crowd gathered for aid amid the escalating humanitarian crisis in the enclave. Gaza officials say that Israeli forces opened fire on the crowd, while the Israeli military blamed most of the deaths on a stampede and the general mayhem in the area.

The aid convoy deaths occurred the same day it was reported that the death toll from the war in Gaza surpassed 30,000. It also happened as concerns mount over the humanitarian situation in the territory, with children dying from hunger and hundreds of thousands of people reportedly on the brink of famine.

The incident is threatening to derail cease-fire talks. With global scrutiny of the Israel-Hamas war rising, the US — Israel’s top ally — is desperate to reach an agreement for a temporary pause to the fighting.

But when asked Thursday whether the deaths would complicate efforts to secure a truce, President Joe Bidensaid, “I know it will.” Just days earlier, Biden expressed optimism that a deal was imminent.

UN chief António Guterres on Thursday called for an independent inquiry into the aid convoy fatalities, which was echoed by France, Italy and Germany on Friday.

More from GZERO Media

- YouTube

If China, Japan, and South Korea formed a united front, what kind of leverage would they have in negotiating against US tariffs? I think they are heading in that trajectory. The question is, will it be enough to keep Syria stable and away from descending into civil war? Why does Trump want to take Greenland? Ian Bremmer shares his insights on global politics this week on World In :60.

President Donald Trump, seen here on the South Lawn of the White House in February, is set to unveil his "Liberation Day" tariffs.

REUTERS/Craig Hudson

T-Day has arrived. On Wednesday afternoon, Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs on US trade partners will take effect immediately after a Rose Garden announcement.

A giant screen in Beijing shows news footage about the People's Liberation Army (PLA) joint army, navy, air and rocket forces drills around Taiwan on April 1, 2025.
REUTERS/Florence Lo

Beijing conducted one of the largest and most provocative military drills ever around the island -- but why now?

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during a briefing, Kyiv, Ukraine, on March 28, 2025.
Ukrinform/ABACA via Reuters Connect

Vladimir Putin insists that Volodymyr Zelensky is no longer Ukraine’s legitimate president because his government has imposed martial law and delayed elections that were due in 2024.

President Donald Trump speaks from the Oval Office flanked by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on the day he signed executive orders for reciprocal tariffs, Feb. 13, 2025.
REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

Details of a group chat between senior administration officials that leaked last week – the so-called Houthi PC small group – provide allies, adversaries, and watchers with revealing insights into the administration’s foreign policy blueprint. Lindsay Newman explores the takeaways.

Proud Source became a Walmart supplier in 2021. Today, its team has grown by 50%, and it's the largest employer in Mackay, ID. Walmart supports small businesses across the country, and nearly two-thirds of Walmart's product spend is on products made, grown, or assembled in America. It’s all a part of Walmart’s $350 billion investment in US manufacturing, which helps small businesses grow and supports US jobs. Learn more about Walmart’s commitment to US manufacturing.

As Microsoft celebrates its 50th anniversary, Vice Chair and President Brad Smith sits down with company cofounder Bill Gates for a special episode of Tools and Weapons. They discuss Gates’ new memoir, "Source Code: My Beginnings," reflect on Microsoft’s impact over the past five decades, and explore why the next phase of the digital revolution is shaping up to be the most exciting yet. Subscribe and find new episodes monthly, wherever you listen to podcasts.