Israeli Fire Near Gaza Aid Distribution Zone Kills 27 Civilians/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ At least 27 Palestinians were killed near a Gaza aid site. Witnesses and health officials blame Israeli forces for the shooting. Israel says it fired near “suspects” who strayed from safe zones.
Gaza Aid Zone Deaths: Quick Looks
- 27 Killed Near Rafah Aid Hub: Palestinian health officials say Israeli fire struck people headed for food aid.
- Israel Denies Intentional Targeting: The army claims it fired warning shots near individuals approaching restricted zones.
- Eyewitness Accounts of Chaos: Survivors describe indiscriminate gunfire and trampling as people fled.
- UN Condemns Aid System: Human rights officials call Israel’s militarized aid distribution mechanism “inhumane.”
- Deadly Pattern Emerges: This marks the third fatal incident near aid sites in as many days.
- Aid Shortages Persist: Many who reach the sites return empty-handed or scavenging dropped supplies.
- Gaza Under Siege: 2 million residents rely almost entirely on aid due to Israel’s blockade.
- Israel Reports Military Losses: Three Israeli soldiers were killed in fighting in northern Gaza.
Israeli Fire Near Gaza Aid Distribution Zone Kills 27 Civilians
Deep Look
Deadly Chaos at Gaza Aid Site as 27 Civilians Killed
At least 27 Palestinians were killed Tuesday near a food aid distribution site in Rafah, southern Gaza, after Israeli forces opened fire on a crowd, according to health officials and eyewitnesses. This marks the third such deadly incident in as many days.
The shooting occurred around 4 a.m. at the Flag Roundabout, approximately one kilometer from a site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) — a U.S. and Israeli-backed initiative intended to bypass Hamas in aid delivery.
The Israeli military said it targeted “a few individual suspects” who left the designated humanitarian corridor and approached military forces. It denied firing directly into crowds or at civilians.
Eyewitnesses Describe Horror
Displaced Rafah resident Yasser Abu Lubda told reporters he saw people shot and wounded as they neared the aid site. Rasha al-Nahal, another survivor, said, “There was gunfire from all directions.” She counted more than a dozen bodies strewn along the road.
Having reached the distribution point, she found no aid left. Instead, she scavenged trampled food from the ground.
“Death is more dignified than what’s happening to us,” she said.
Neima al-Aaraj, a woman from Khan Younis, also found the aid site empty and vowed not to return.
“After the martyrs and wounded, I won’t return,” she said. “Either way we will die.”
UN and Red Cross Confirm Death Toll
The Gaza Health Ministry confirmed 27 deaths, while the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reported 184 wounded, with 19 dead on arrival at its Rafah field hospital and 8 more dying later.
UN Human Rights spokesperson Jeremy Laurence also confirmed the toll and warned that civilians were being forced to choose between starvation and deadly risk.
“Palestinians are faced with the grimmest of choices,” said UN High Commissioner Volker Türk. “Die from hunger or be shot trying to eat.”
No Press Access, Conflicting Narratives
The area around the Flag Roundabout is designated a closed Israeli military zone, barring independent journalists and human rights monitors from verifying events.
While the GHF claims no violence has occurred within its aid sites, it acknowledged the Israeli military is investigating whether civilians were harmed after entering unauthorized areas beyond the secure zone.
The group said it delivered 21 truckloads of aid on Tuesday in Rafah, though two other sites were closed.
Gaza’s Deepening Hunger Crisis
Before the war resumed in March, 600 aid trucks entered Gaza daily during a temporary ceasefire. Now, with Israel’s restrictions and widespread looting, most residents face severe food insecurity.
Israel claims the new system prevents Hamas from seizing aid, while the UN rejects the model as it places aid under military control and limits access to only specific zones, creating dangerous chokepoints like the Flag Roundabout.
Israel Faces Losses in the North
As tensions flare in southern Gaza, Israel confirmed three of its soldiers were killed Monday in northern Gaza, reportedly from an explosion in the Jabaliya area.
These are the deadliest Israeli casualties since it ended the last ceasefire with Hamas in March.
Israel’s military offensive has killed over 54,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Israel claims around 20,000 militants have been killed — a figure it has not substantiated with evidence.
Ongoing Blockade and Calls for Accountability
Following Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel, in which 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage, Israel imposed a full blockade on Gaza, cutting off food, fuel, and medical supplies for nearly three months.
Though some restrictions were eased in May, humanitarian groups warn that famine is looming, particularly in northern Gaza.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and other aid agencies say Israel’s restrictions, coupled with lawlessness and looting, make traditional aid delivery nearly impossible.
Despite Israeli assertions that Hamas steals aid, the UN says there’s no evidence of systematic diversion.
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