Israeli Gunfire Kills 39 Palestinians at Gaza Food Aid Sites
At least 39 Palestinians were shot dead by Israeli forces on Saturday while attempting to access food aid in southern Gaza, according to witnesses and health officials. The victims had gathered near distribution hubs run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a group backed by the United States and Israel.
Witnesses said the shootings occurred as large crowds approached a distribution point near Khan Younis and another near Rafah. The Israeli military claimed it fired warning shots after a group of people approached troops near Rafah during overnight hours, when the site was closed. However, GHF stated there were no incidents at or near its centers at the time and reiterated that civilians are urged not to come during off-hours.
Mahmoud Mokeimar, one of the survivors, said Israeli troops “opened fire at us indiscriminately.” Another witness, Akram Aker, described the attack as coming from tanks and drones. “They encircled us and started firing directly at us,” he said.
Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis confirmed receiving 25 bodies and 70 injured people, most with gunshot wounds to the head and chest. In Rafah, at least seven others were killed. A child was seen helping hold up a blood bag for a wounded relative being treated on the hospital floor due to a lack of medical supplies.
The GHF, which began operations in May as an alternative to UN-led aid efforts, distributes food from four sites in Israeli-controlled zones. While it claims to have provided millions of meals, local officials say Israeli fire has repeatedly resulted in fatalities at or near these locations. The UN denies Israeli accusations that Hamas diverts UN aid.
In addition to the shootings near the aid hubs, separate Israeli airstrikes killed at least 22 more people across Gaza. Among the dead were police official Omar Aqel and five of his relatives—including two children—in an attack in central Gaza. Airstrikes in Gaza City, Bureij, Tal al-Hawa, and Sheikh Radwan also resulted in multiple civilian casualties, including children.
The Gaza Health Ministry says over 58,000 Palestinians have died since the war began in October 2023. More than half of the victims are reported to be women and children. The ministry, which is under the Hamas-run government, is considered a primary source of casualty data by international humanitarian agencies.
Meanwhile, ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas in Qatar have yet to yield results. In Tel Aviv, thousands rallied to demand a ceasefire and the release of remaining hostages taken by Hamas during its October 7, 2023 attack that left 1,200 Israelis dead and over 250 kidnapped. About 50 hostages are believed to remain in Gaza, with fewer than half thought to be alive.
In the occupied West Bank, US Ambassador Mike Huckabee visited Taybeh, a Christian village where settlers recently set fire to a historic church. Condemning the attack, Huckabee called it “an act of terror.”
The West Bank has seen a sharp rise in settler violence since the war began. Palestinians accuse Israeli forces of failing to stop the attacks, with few perpetrators held accountable.
As hunger and desperation deepen in Gaza, the risks civilians face in seeking food aid continue to grow. One woman wounded in the chaos asked, “Is this food or death?” while showing her empty bag.
