Israeli strike kills 18 Palestinians in central Gaza as turmoil mounts over food distribution
Deir al-Balah, Jun 26 (AP): An Israeli strike hit a street in central Gaza on Thursday where witnesses said a crowd of people was getting bags of flour from a Palestinian police unit that had confiscated the goods from gangs looting aid convoys. Hospital officials said 18 people were killed.
The strike was the latest violence surrounding the distribution of food to Gaza's population, which has been thrown into turmoil over the past month. After blocking all food for 2 1/2 months, Israel has allowed only a trickle of supplies into the territory since mid-May.
Efforts by the United Nations to distribute the food have been plagued by armed gangs looting trucks and by crowds of desperate people offloading supplies from convoys.
The strike in the central town of Deir al-Balah on Thursday appeared to target members of Sahm, a security unit tasked with stopping looters and cracking down on merchants who sell stolen aid at high prices. The unit is part of Gaza's Hamas-led Interior Ministry, but includes members of other factions.
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Netherlands PM Dick Schoof visits Bengaluru
Bengaluru (PTI): The Netherlands Prime Minister Dick Schoof arrived here on Thursday on an official visit, sources said.
Schoof, accompanied by a delegation, landed at Kempegowda International Airport, where he was received by Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta, who welcomed him with a bouquet, officials added.
Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh and other senior officials were also present.
According to a statement, the Netherlands Prime Minister is scheduled to visit the Philips Innovation Campus in R T Nagar, the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) Control Centre on Infantry Road, and the Indian Institute of Science on Friday.
He will also attend a luncheon with industrialists before departing the city by a special aircraft, the statement said.
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