The Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza reported that at least 24 individuals were killed near an aid distribution site on Saturday. Witnesses claimed that Israeli troops opened fire as people were attempting to access food supplies. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) denied these allegations, stating that there were “no known injured individuals” resulting from their fire in the area.
According to an Israeli military official, warning shots were fired to disperse crowds that the IDF deemed a threat. Both claims from the IDF and eyewitnesses remain unverified, as international news organizations, including the BBC, are not permitted entry into Gaza. Footage released later showed what appeared to be multiple body bags in the courtyard of Nasser Hospital, surrounded by nurses and individuals in blood-stained clothing.
Witness accounts describe a chaotic scene where individuals waiting for aid came under targeted gunfire for approximately five minutes. A paramedic accused Israeli forces of killing civilians “in cold blood.” Reports from Reuters corroborated these accounts, with witnesses detailing victims shot in the head and torso. The agency also reported seeing bodies wrapped in white shrouds at the hospital.
Humanitarian Crisis Intensifies
The ongoing violence has coincided with a severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Since March, Israel has imposed a comprehensive blockade on aid deliveries to the territory, subsequently resuming military operations against Hamas, which led to the collapse of a two-month ceasefire. This military action was framed as a strategy to compel Hamas to release Israeli hostages taken during its cross-border attack on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities and 251 hostages.
While a partial easing of the blockade occurred in late May, dire shortages of food, medicine, and fuel persist. The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, has reported thousands of malnourished children in Gaza, with new cases emerging daily.
In response to the humanitarian crisis, Israel and the United States have established a new aid distribution system operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), aiming to prevent Hamas from diverting humanitarian assistance. Despite these efforts, the UN human rights office has documented 798 aid-related killings, with 615 occurring near GHF sites, which are managed by US private security contractors in military zones in southern and central Gaza.
The Israeli military acknowledged that there have been incidents resulting in civilian injuries, emphasizing its commitment to minimize friction between the population and Israeli forces. In contrast, the GHF has accused the UN of utilizing “false and misleading” statistics sourced from Hamas-run health authorities.
Earlier this month, a former security contractor for the GHF reported witnessing colleagues open fire on unarmed Palestinians seeking food. The GHF has categorically denied these allegations.
As the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, the conflict’s human toll has been staggering, with at least 57,823 deaths reported since the resumption of hostilities, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The international community remains concerned about the escalating violence and its impact on the civilian population, as calls for a ceasefire grow louder amid the ongoing humanitarian emergency.
