At least 22 Palestinians were killed and 20 others injured on Monday after Israeli forces opened fire on people near food aid sites in southern and northern Gaza, according to witnesses, hospitals, and the territory’s Health Ministry.
Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis reported receiving the bodies of 11 individuals shot while returning from an aid distribution center operated under the Israeli and U.S.-supported Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF). The program, aimed at addressing severe food shortages, has seen over 500 Palestinians killed in incidents during aid distributions in the past month, health officials say.
Additionally, 10 more Palestinians were killed in an Israeli strike on a U.N. aid warehouse in Gaza City, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Witnesses describe troops firing on civilians
The southern Gaza incident occurred roughly 3 kilometers from the GHF aid site in Khan Younis. Witnesses said Israeli forces fired at crowds traveling along one of the few accessible routes to reach the center.
“They shot at us without warning,” said Yousef Mahmoud Mokheimar, who sustained a leg injury during the incident. He claimed troops initially fired warning shots before targeting the crowd directly. Mokheimar also reported seeing Israeli forces detain six people, including three children, though their fate remains unknown.
Another survivor, Monzer Hisham Ismail, said those returning from the aid hub faced artillery fire. One more person was killed near a GHF center in Rafah, hospital officials added.
The Israeli military acknowledged the reports and said it was reviewing the incidents. The army maintains it fires warning shots when individuals approach troops suspiciously, including near aid sites.
Israel, backed by the U.S., seeks to replace U.N. and international aid efforts with the GHF system, accusing Hamas of diverting aid for its own use—an allegation the U.N. denies.
Israel’s military says it has introduced new measures, including additional routes, fences, and signage, to better organize aid distribution.
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Escalating strikes across northern Gaza
In northern Gaza, at least 10 Palestinians were killed when Israeli forces struck a U.N. aid warehouse in Gaza City. It is unclear whether aid was present at the facility during the attack.
The Gaza City strike coincided with intensified Israeli bombardment of the city and the Jabaliya refugee camp. Israeli authorities issued sweeping evacuation orders on Sunday and Monday, warning residents of military operations targeting Hamas command centers.
Palestinians reported heavy airstrikes overnight, describing the offensive as a “scorched earth” campaign against buildings and infrastructure.
“They’re destroying everything left,” said Gaza City resident Mohamed Mahdy, who fled his damaged home early Monday.
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Emergency officials said vast parts of Gaza City and Jabaliya are inaccessible due to the strikes, preventing ambulances from reaching people trapped under rubble.
The Israeli military says its operations focus on targeting Hamas militants and command centers, and blames civilian casualties on the group’s use of densely populated areas for military purposes.