According to Gaza’s Health Ministry and a local hospital, at least 51 Palestinians were killed and more than 200 injured after gunfire erupted near a checkpoint where UN and commercial food trucks were expected to enter the enclave. People had been waiting in line for desperately needed aid.
Witnesses told the Associated Press that Israeli forces carried out an airstrike on a nearby house before opening fire on the crowd in the city of Khan Younis in southern Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces did not issue an immediate comment.
The incident appears to be unrelated to the new humanitarian aid delivery system launched last month with involvement from Israel and the United States, which has already sparked controversy and violence.
One eyewitness, Yousef Nofal, said that after the shooting began, he saw many people lying motionless and bleeding. "It was a massacre," he said, adding that soldiers kept firing even at those who tried to flee.
"Aren’t We Human?"
"I survived by a miracle," said Mohammed Abu Keshfa, recalling a powerful explosion followed by intense gunfire and artillery shelling. According to him, it all happened suddenly and without warning.
The dead and wounded were taken to Nasser Hospital in the city, where the casualty figures were confirmed. Among those searching for the missing was Samaer Mekdad, who came to the hospital hoping to learn the fate of her two brothers and nephew who had been in the crowd.
"We don’t need flour. We don’t need food. We don’t need anything," she said. "Why did they shoot those young men? Why? Aren’t we human?"
According to Palestinians, Israeli forces have repeatedly opened fire on people trying to reach food distribution sites established with U.S. and Israeli support. These centers began operating last month. Local medics report dozens killed and hundreds wounded.
In response to such accusations, the Israeli army has acknowledged that in some instances it did open warning fire at individuals it claimed were approaching soldiers "in a suspicious manner."
The New System
Israel claims that the new aid delivery system, operated by the private entity Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, is intended to prevent humanitarian supplies from falling into the hands of Hamas, which, according to Israeli officials, uses such resources to fund military operations.
However, UN agencies and major humanitarian organizations dispute that aid diversion occurs on a significant scale. They criticize the new system for failing to meet the population’s growing needs and for violating humanitarian principles by placing control of distribution in Israel’s hands.
Experts warn that Gaza, home to roughly two million people, is on the brink of famine. The humanitarian supply network coordinated by the UN has been operating since the outbreak of the Israel–Hamas war, now in its twentieth month, but has faced increasing difficulties since mid-May. While Israel eased its full blockade—imposed in early March—ongoing military restrictions, growing lawlessness, and widespread looting continue to hinder aid delivery. UN officials emphasize that even the aid Israel allows in often fails to reach those who need it most.
Since October 2023, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than 55,300 people have been killed in Israel’s military campaign, over half of them women and children. The statistics do not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
Israel launched its military operation following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, which, according to Israeli figures, killed around 1,200 people—mostly civilians—and resulted in 251 hostages being taken. As of the latest reports, militants still hold 53 people, fewer than half of whom are believed to be alive. The rest were released under ceasefire and exchange agreements.
Might Over Right
Israeli Forces Open Fire Again Near Aid Points—Dozens Killed
Israel Insists on Controlling the Relief System, Pushing Out the UN and NGOs
Israeli Army Opens Fire Again Near Gaza Aid Point
27 Killed as IDF-Controlled Private Relief Scheme Sparks Protests and Bloodshed
Israeli Strike on Gaza School Kills 33—Army Says Militants Were Hiding in the Building
Israel Keeps Gaza Under Total Blockade, Cutting Two Million People Off From Food, Water, and Medicine
This Is Not a Humanitarian Crisis—It’s a Deliberate Siege
