According to local officials and eyewitnesses, Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinians trying to reach food aid distribution centers in southern Gaza on Saturday, killing at least 32 people. The incidents occurred near facilities run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a U.S.- and Israeli-supported aid group.
GHF began operating in May with the aim of replacing the UN-led aid system, which both the U.S. and Israel claim is being exploited by Hamas — a claim the UN denies. Although GHF says it has delivered millions of meals to people in need, local sources report that hundreds have died from Israeli gunfire while attempting to reach the aid sites.
Israeli forces, who oversee the sites from a distance, claim they only fire warning shots if people get too close. GHF, which uses private security guards, has denied any fatal shootings at their centers. However, 20 people reportedly died at one of their sites earlier this week during a stampede, which GHF blamed on Hamas agitators, without providing evidence.
No immediate response came from the Israeli military or GHF regarding Saturday’s events.
Reports of Indiscriminate Shooting
Most of the deaths happened in the Teina area, around 3 kilometers east of Khan Younis, where large groups of Palestinians were trying to access food aid. Eyewitness Mahmoud Mokeimar said troops first fired warning shots, then began shooting into the crowd. “It was a massacre,” he said, describing how many were hit and others fled in panic.
Another witness, Akram Aker, said the army used machine guns mounted on tanks and drones to fire directly at the people between 5 and 6 a.m. A 55-year-old woman, Sanaa al-Jaberi, said, “We shouted for food, but they didn’t respond—they just opened fire.”
Monzer Fesifes, a Palestinian-Jordanian, said his 19-year-old son Hisham was killed in the chaos. "He went to get food from the failed American and Zionist aid system," he said, urging Jordan to help evacuate his family.
Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis reported receiving 25 bodies and dozens of wounded. An additional seven people were killed in the Shakoush area near Rafah, including one woman. Most of the injuries involved gunshot wounds to the head and chest, and the hospital's ICU is overwhelmed, according to Dr. Mohamed Saker.
Deepening Humanitarian Emergency
With Gaza’s population of over 2 million facing extreme food shortages and the threat of famine, the situation remains dire. Aid distributions at GHF sites have frequently been chaotic, with food boxes dropped on the ground and people rushing to grab them.
Videos from an American contractor working with GHF show guards using tear gas, stun grenades, and even live fire to control the crowds.
The ongoing war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking 250 hostage. Since then, Israel’s military response has reportedly killed over 58,000 Palestinians, displaced nearly the entire population of Gaza, and devastated the region.
While ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas continue in Qatar, negotiators say no progress has been made so far.