At least 24 people have been killed near an aid distribution site in southern Gaza, according to Nasser Hospital, amid claims that Israeli troops opened fire as Palestinians gathered to access food. The incident occurred on Saturday, with distressing images later showing body bags in the hospital’s courtyard and people in blood-stained clothing.
Eyewitnesses told Reuters and the BBC that the victims were targeted while waiting for humanitarian aid. One man described continuous shooting for five minutes, while a paramedic accused Israeli forces of killing civilians “in cold blood.” Some witnesses reported people being shot in the head and torso. These accounts, along with video footage from the scene, have not yet been independently verified.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) denied responsibility, stating there were “no known injured individuals” from IDF fire in the area. However, a military official acknowledged that warning shots had been fired to disperse crowds perceived as a threat.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has worsened since Israel imposed a total blockade in March, later easing restrictions amid international pressure. Although some aid is now entering through a US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) system, supplies remain severely limited. The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has warned of widespread malnutrition among children.
On Friday, the UN human rights office said it had recorded 798 aid-related deaths, including 615 near GHF sites, which are run by US private contractors and located in military zones. The remaining 183 occurred near UN and other aid convoys. The GHF dismissed the UN’s figures as “false and misleading,” citing the Hamas-run health ministry as an unreliable source.
Earlier this month, a former GHF contractor alleged colleagues had fired at unarmed Palestinians. The GHF called the allegations “categorically false.”
The ongoing violence stems from Israel’s response to Hamas’ 7 October 2023 attack, which killed 1,200 people and led to the abduction of 251 others. Since then, Gaza’s health ministry reports that over 57,823 people have been killed in the Israeli military campaign.
As aid-related deaths continue to mount, the humanitarian and political costs of the war in Gaza remain gravely concerning.
