Dozens Killed as Israeli Forces Target Gaza Aid Seekers‍ amid Distribution‍ Chaos

⁤ Updated June 24, 2025
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Israeli forces and ‍drones allegedly killed dozens ⁢of Palestinians seeking humanitarian aid in Gaza on Tuesday. The attacks occurred at aid distribution sites,⁣ with reports indicating a potential death toll of 50, though figures remain unverified, ⁢according to Palestinian health‍ officials and⁢ witnesses.

These killings are the latest⁣ in a series of incidents near aid distribution points established by the Gaza⁣ Humanitarian Foundation ⁣(GHF). The⁤ GHF,⁣ backed ⁢by Israel and⁤ the united States, ⁣has faced criticism, with the head of the UN agency ⁣for Palestinian‍ refugees (UNWRA) ‍calling the sites a “death trap.”

Hospital sources in Gaza reported that Israeli fire killed up⁤ to 50 people near aid‍ distribution⁣ centers since dawn, in addition to 21 others across the territory. one incident on Salah al-Din Street, south of Wadi Gaza, resulted in at ‍least 25 deaths and over 140 injuries, 62 critically, according to medical sources.

Footage ‍verified by Al Jazeera’s Sanad agency showed bodies arriving at ⁣al-Awda Hospital in the Nuseirat refugee camp. Similar‍ scenes unfolded at the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, following reports⁢ that the⁤ Israeli army targeted people awaiting aid on al-Tina Street. Casualties were also reported in Gaza City and Rafah,⁣ overwhelming medical facilities.

Witnesses told the AP that ⁢Israeli forces opened fire as people approached ⁣aid trucks.Ahmed Halawa described the scene as a “massacre,” stating that tanks ⁣and drones fired upon them even as they fled.

The Israeli ⁢military said it is ‍indeed reviewing reports of casualties resulting from⁣ fire by its troops after ⁤a⁣ group approached soldiers⁤ near the Netzarim Corridor. Israel ⁤has previously stated that ‍shootings near‍ GHF⁢ aid sites were provoked by “suspects” approaching soldiers.However, witnesses and humanitarian groups claim many⁢ shootings occurred without warning.

‘Death trap’

The targeting of aid seekers has become frequent ⁤since the GHF took over⁢ aid distribution in ⁢late May, following a two-month cutoff of supplies into Gaza that prompted famine warnings. The United Nations refuses to collaborate⁣ with the‍ GHF, citing concerns that it prioritizes Israeli military objectives over humanitarian needs and ‍accusing ⁣it of “weaponizing” aid.

The GHF distribution sites have⁢ been marked by chaos and violence, with over 400 deaths and 1,000 ⁤injuries attributed to Israeli soldiers since the rollout began.

“The newly created so-called aid mechanism ⁤is ⁢an abomination that humiliates and degrades desperate people. It ⁤is a death trap costing more lives than it saves,” Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA, said at a news conference in ⁣Berlin.

The international Commission of Jurists, along with 14 other groups, condemned the GHF and called for an⁣ end to private ⁢militarized aid operations in Gaza in a letter published Monday.

Philip ⁤Grant, executive director of TRIAL International, stated that the GHF’s‍ militarized and privatized ⁤aid delivery model “violates core humanitarian principles.” He added⁤ that those enabling or profiting from the GHF’s work risk prosecution‍ for complicity in war crimes, including the forcible transfer and starvation of civilians.

What’s next

International pressure is mounting for an independent investigation into the‍ incidents and a reassessment of aid distribution methods to ensure the safety of civilians in ‍Gaza.