In brief
The Hamas-run health ministry reports that Israeli fire killed at least 32 Palestinians near aid sites in southern Gaza, with conflicting accounts about the circumstances surrounding the shootings. Eyewitnesses describe the gunfire as intentional, while the Israeli Defense Forces claim they were targeting suspected threats.
In a tragic escalation of violence in southern Gaza, the Hamas-run health ministry has reported that Israeli gunfire has resulted in at least 32 Palestinian deaths, occurring near two aid distribution points close to Khan Younis and Rafah. Dozens more were injured, according to the ministry, as desperate civilians lined up for food amidst a crippling humanitarian crisis.The aid distribution was managed by the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which has been operating since late May under the scrutiny of international organizations. While the GHF insisted no incidents occurred at their sites, eyewitness accounts and reports indicated that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) engagement began hours before the aid centers opened. An eyewitness, Mohammed Al-Khalidi, recounted a terrifying scene in which he and others, expecting aid, were instead met with lethal gunfire. He asserted that the shots were not meant just to scare but were deliberately aimed to kill.The GHF, which employs private security contractors to manage aid distribution, faces pushback from the United Nations, which refuses to collaborate with it on ethical grounds. The UN has recorded at least 674 killings near GHF sites in the preceding six weeks, alongside 201 fatalities along routes of UN aid convoys—figures the GHF dismisses as "false and misleading."Israel maintains that their military actions are necessary to prevent Hamas from seizing humanitarian aid. Meanwhile, reports detail a dramatic increase in child malnutrition, with 69 deaths attributed to acute malnutrition amid ongoing food blockages at borders. Despite consistent assertions from international leaders, including US President Donald Trump, about the potential for a ceasefire, dialogues remain stalled. Local Palestinian officials have dismissed the latest proposals presented by Israel as unacceptable. With growing reports of violence, aid distribution, and fatalities, the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate dramatically.
