Top Story: Dozens Killed by Israeli Gunfire Near Aid Sites in Southern Gaza, Says Health Ministry
Gaza Strip – At least 32 Palestinians were killed and dozens more wounded by Israeli gunfire near two food aid distribution points in southern Gaza, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry. The shootings reportedly occurred near Khan Younis and Rafah, areas where thousands have been gathering daily in desperate search of food.
The deadly incidents unfolded near sites operated by the controversial US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which has come under increasing scrutiny for operating within Israeli military zones. While the GHF insists there were “no incidents at or near” their locations, they acknowledged that there was Israel Defense Forces (IDF) activity in the area hours before distribution was set to begin.
Eyewitnesses describe scenes of chaos and bloodshed. Mohammed Al-Khalidi, speaking to Reuters, said tanks approached the crowd before opening fire. “It wasn’t shots to scare us or organize us,” he said. “It was shots targeted to kill.”
The IDF told the BBC that its troops fired warning shots to deter “suspects” approaching their positions, claiming the incident happened before the GHF sites opened. However, reports of violence around aid distribution have become increasingly frequent since the GHF began operating in late May.
One aid contractor, speaking to the BBC, claimed he saw colleagues firing on crowds of Palestinians during previous distributions. Just last week, at least 20 people were killed in a crush near another GHF aid point.
The GHF uses private security contractors to distribute food and supplies under tight coordination with the Israeli military. Israel and the US defend the approach, arguing it prevents Hamas from diverting aid. But the UN refuses to participate in the GHF system, calling it unethical and lacking transparency. The UN’s human rights office recently reported at least 674 deaths near GHF sites in Gaza over the past six weeks, along with 201 more along other aid routes.
The GHF has denied those figures, accusing the UN of relying on “false and misleading” data from Gaza’s health ministry, though the ministry’s numbers are broadly accepted as accurate by hospitals and humanitarian organizations on the ground.
Access for international journalists remains blocked by Israel, making independent verification of events inside Gaza extremely difficult. The humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate, with famine looming over the territory. A recent UN map shows alarming levels of starvation risk: Gaza City (185,000), Khan Younis (124,000), North Gaza (93,000), Deir al-Balah (60,000), and Rafah (7,500).
As the death toll rises and the food crisis deepens, pressure is mounting on international actors to intervene and find a solution to what aid groups are calling an unfolding catastrophe.
