Dozens Killed in Latest Gaza Aid Distribution Incident Amid Disputed Accounts

At least 32 Palestinians seeking food were killed by Israeli gunfire near aid distribution points in southern Gaza, specifically close to Khan Younis and Rafah, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry. Dozens more were reportedly injured in the incident, which occurred near two sites operated by the US and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).

The GHF has denied any incidents “at or near” their locations, acknowledging only “Israel Defense Forces (IDF) activity” hours before their sites were scheduled to open. The IDF, for its part, stated that troops fired warning shots to prevent “suspects” from approaching them, asserting the incident took place before aid distribution began. An eyewitness, however, told Reuters that the Israeli gunfire appeared “targeted to kill.”

This latest tragedy adds to growing concerns over civilian safety during aid operations in Gaza. The Palestinian ministry of health reported that bodies were transported to Nasser hospital on Saturday morning. There have been almost daily reports of Palestinians being killed while seeking aid since the GHF commenced operations in late May, with witnesses frequently attributing the shootings to Israeli forces.

The GHF utilizes private security contractors for aid distribution within Israeli military zones, a system Israel and the US claim is necessary to prevent Hamas from diverting aid. The United Nations, however, has refused to cooperate with this model, deeming it unethical and citing a lack of evidence for systematic aid diversion by Hamas. The UN human rights office recently reported 674 killings around GHF sites in southern and central Gaza over the past six weeks, with an additional 201 fatalities along routes used by UN and other aid convoys. The GHF disputes these figures, accusing the UN of using “false and misleading” data from the Hamas-run ministry, whose counts are generally considered reliable by hospitals in Gaza.

The humanitarian crisis continues to deepen, with the UN noting a doubling of acutely malnourished children since Israel began restricting food entry in March. Despite the GHF’s establishment, significant aid, including baby formula, remains blocked at the border. A field hospital director recently highlighted an unprecedented influx of patients suffering from severe exhaustion, emaciation, and acute malnutrition, with the Hamas government media office reporting 69 child deaths from malnutrition to date.

阅读中文版 (Read Chinese Version)

Disclaimer: This content is aggregated from public sources online. Please verify information independently. If you believe your rights have been infringed, contact us for removal.