Deadly Clashes Erupt Near Gaza Aid Distribution Points

An alarming incident in southern Gaza has resulted in the deaths of at least 32 Palestinians due to Israeli gunfire near aid distribution sites. Witnesses and health authorities cite a pattern of violence against those seeking food, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region.

At least 32 Palestinians searching for food were fatally shot by Israeli gunfire near two aid distribution points close to Khan Younis and Rafah in southern Gaza, according to reports from the Hamas-run health ministry. Many others sustained injuries during the incident, which took place near sites managed by the US and Israeli-supported Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).

While the GHF denied any violent incidents occurring at their sites, they admitted there had been "Israel Defense Forces (IDF) activity" prior to the distributions. Eyewitness accounts described the Israeli gunfire as being "targeted to kill." An aid contractor recounted witnessing colleagues shooting at starving Palestinians collecting their rations.

The ongoing crisis has left many desiring aid in peril, with local health officials indicating that victims' bodies were taken to the nearby Nasser Hospital. Reports have surfaced of Palestinians being shot while attempting to access aid since GHF operations began in late May. Witnesses attribute these shootings predominantly to Israeli forces.

The IDF claimed that troops discharged warning shots to deter "suspects" nearing their position, asserting that the incident unfolded before the aid sites were operational. Mohammed Al-Khalidi, a local, blamed the Israeli army for the attack, describing a scene where Israeli tanks approached as he and others thought they were permitted to collect aid. “It wasn’t shots that were to scare us or to organize us, it was shots that were targeted to kill us,” he emphasized.

The GHF employs private security contractors for aid distribution in areas designated as military zones by Israel, which the US defends as essential to prevent the diversion of aid by Hamas. However, the United Nations has criticized this arrangement as unethical, stating they lack evidence to support claims that Hamas is systematically misappropriating aid.

On July 15, the UN human rights office reported 674 fatalities in the vicinity of the GHF’s operational sites in Gaza over the past six weeks. The GHF refuted the claims, calling the UN’s figures "false and misleading," with the majority of casualty reports being attributed to local health ministry data deemed reliable by many.

While Israel prohibits international media, including the BBC, from entering Gaza, the humanitarian crisis continues to escalate. The UN revealed a concerning doubling of malnourished children since Israel introduced food restrictions in March, while significant amounts of aid, including infant formula, remain stalled at the border.

Recently, field hospital officials reported an unprecedented rise in patients suffering from severe fatigue, malnourishment, and starvation, with the Hamas government estimating that around 69 children have succumbed to malnutrition in this ongoing crisis. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump suggested that a ceasefire might be close, yet a Palestinian representative indicated that negotiations continue to face substantial hurdles, including unacceptable Israeli troop withdrawal proposals.