More than 500 Palestinians have been killed near aid distribution points in Gaza since late May, according to the United Nations, which has raised grave concerns over the conduct of Israeli forces during the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
The UN Human Rights Office revealed on Friday that 613 people were killed near humanitarian convoys and food distribution sites operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) and others between May 26 and June 27. Of those, 509 deaths occurred directly near GHF sites.
GHF, a private initiative backed by the U.S. and Israel, launched its operations after a two-month Israeli blockade halted food and fuel supplies to Gaza, prompting famine warnings. The foundation, headquartered in Delaware and chaired by U.S. evangelical leader Johnnie Moore, claims to have distributed over one million food boxes in the war-torn enclave.
However, its operations have been clouded by daily reports of Israeli forces firing on civilians attempting to access food. UN human rights spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani stated, “It is clear that the Israeli military has shelled and shot at Palestinians trying to reach the distribution points.” She emphasized the need for an independent investigation and access to the Gaza Strip to verify and document these incidents.
The GHF denies any violent incidents near its sites. “We haven’t had a violent incident in close proximity to our distribution sites,” Moore said during a briefing in Brussels.
Despite these claims, the UN and major international aid agencies have refused to collaborate with GHF, citing concerns that its efforts may align with Israeli military goals and undermine established humanitarian principles.
Rik Peeperkorn, WHO’s representative in the Palestinian territories, described harrowing scenes during a visit to Nasser Medical Complex. “It’s mainly boys, young adolescents, young men. We all know they go to these so-called safe, non-UN food distribution sites,” he said. “There are so many of these cases—shot in the head, shot in the neck, shot in the chest.”
As the crisis deepens, the UN is calling for accountability and an immediate halt to what it calls the “senseless killing” of civilians seeking life-saving aid.
