At least 27 killed, dozens injured by Israeli fire near Gaza aid site, UN demands probe

Gaza City (Web Desk): At least 27 Palestinians lost their lives and dozens more were wounded after Israeli forces opened fire near a food distribution site in Rafah, located in the southern Gaza Strip, on June 3, according to local health authorities.

The incident is the latest in a string of deadly episodes to affect aid delivery efforts in the area.

The Israeli military stated that its troops engaged individuals who had deviated from the designated routes around the distribution center and moved toward their positions. An investigation into the incident is still underway, the military added.

Earlier the same day, Israel reported that three of its soldiers were killed in clashes in the northern Gaza Strip as part of a prolonged offensive against Hamas fighters.

The military campaign, ongoing since last October, has caused massive destruction across the enclave. Independent verification of the accounts from either region was not possible, according to Reuters.

The International Committee of the Red Cross reported that its field hospital in Rafah treated 184 people from the scene. Nineteen were declared dead on arrival, while eight more succumbed to their injuries shortly afterward. Video footage from the aftermath shows wounded individuals, including at least one woman, being transported to medical facilities on donkey-drawn carts before being transferred to ambulances or stretchers.

The UN Human Rights Office in Geneva condemned the targeting of people trying to access food, warning that restricting civilian access to relief could amount to a war crime.

In a statement, UN rights chief Volker Türk called the attacks “unconscionable” and stressed the need for a prompt, impartial inquiry. He emphasized that deliberately targeting civilians is a serious violation of international law and qualifies as a war crime.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a U.S.-backed organization that recently launched its first food distribution efforts in the region, had set up the site in an attempt to alleviate the growing hunger crisis. The majority of Gaza’s population has been displaced by months of fighting. The Foundation, operating independently of traditional aid agencies and endorsed by Israel, has faced criticism from the United Nations and various NGOs for failing to adhere to established humanitarian principles.

On June 3, it reported that 21 truckloads of food were delivered that morning and asserted that the violence did not occur within the confines of its distribution area. It stressed that the shooting happened beyond the reach of its secured zone and urged civilians to remain within designated corridors when approaching the site.

Eyewitnesses collecting aid described the situation as chaotic and unsafe, with no official presence to organize the process or verify identities. One man, who chose to remain anonymous, said that he was fortunate to survive and described the conditions as dehumanizing. He added that people are driven by desperation due to the severe food shortage.

Reports of similar violence have surfaced in recent days. On June 1, at least 31 Palestinians were reportedly killed near Rafah while waiting for aid, and another three were said to have been killed on June 2.

The Israeli military has dismissed claims that it targeted civilians, labeling the June 1 incident as propaganda by Hamas. Regarding the June 3 shooting, the military said its forces had observed individuals moving toward them outside authorized access paths. Initial warning shots were fired, followed by further gunfire when the individuals did not retreat.

Later in the day on June 2, the Israeli military issued evacuation orders for parts of Khan Younis, signaling that intensified operations against armed militants were imminent. Civilians were instructed to move west toward the coastal area of Al-Mawasi, designated by Israel as a humanitarian zone.

However, both UN and Palestinian officials insist there are no genuinely safe places left in Gaza, where internal displacement now affects the majority of the 2.3 million residents.

The Palestinian Health Ministry warned that the new evacuation orders threaten the functioning of Nasser Hospital, one of the few operational medical centers remaining in the south, potentially endangering the lives of numerous patients.

This latest violence is part of the broader conflict that began after Hamas-led fighters attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in 1,200 Israeli deaths and the abduction of 251 people, according to Israeli figures. Since then, the conflict has escalated dramatically, with Gaza’s health authorities reporting over 54,000 Palestinians killed in Israeli military operations.