CAIRO — An Israeli strike in Gaza killed a Palestinian driver involved in humanitarian aid deliveries, while a separate incident in southern Gaza left another aid convoy driver dead, according to aid organizations, witnesses and the Israeli military, underscoring continuing risks facing relief operations despite ongoing ceasefire efforts.
World Central Kitchen (WCK) said a driver employed by one of its partner logistics companies was killed on July 8 while transporting humanitarian supplies from the Kerem Shalom crossing to one of the organization's warehouses in Gaza. The charity identified the driver as Ahmad Nasser Saleem and called for a full investigation, saying humanitarian workers and aid deliveries should never be targeted.
Separately, Palestinian truck drivers and witnesses said another aid driver, Ahmad Esleem, was fatally shot after a food convoy halted near the Philadelphi corridor because one of the trucks had broken down. The convoy was carrying food coordinated by WCK and the U.N. World Food Programme, according to witnesses and Gaza's transport association.
The Israeli military gave a different account of the shooting involving Esleem, saying soldiers carried out a "suspect apprehension protocol" after an individual moved toward troops in what it described as a threatening manner. The military disputed witness accounts that the driver had posed no threat and said the circumstances were under review.
The Gaza Transport Companies' Association condemned the killing and warned it could suspend aid transportation through the Kerem Shalom crossing unless greater protections were provided for civilian drivers. The association said truck operators were increasingly reluctant to participate in relief missions because of security risks.
The deaths came as humanitarian agencies continued to warn that aid deliveries into Gaza remain severely constrained by border restrictions, damaged infrastructure and persistent insecurity. The United Nations has said the volume of relief supplies entering the territory has declined in recent weeks and that operational challenges continue to hamper food and fuel distribution.
Aid organizations have repeatedly called on all parties to the conflict to ensure safe passage for humanitarian workers and civilian transport. WCK said it remained in contact with Saleem's family and renewed its appeal for accountability following the incident.
No independent investigation into either incident had been publicly completed as of Thursday, and the differing accounts surrounding the shooting of Esleem remained unresolved.
