At least 45 starving Palestinians were killed on Monday when Israeli forces opened fire at a food distribution site in Rafah, southern Gaza. The victims had gathered at dawn near the Flag Roundabout, awaiting humanitarian aid from the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
The attack marks the deadliest in a growing pattern of violence near GHF aid centres. Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos and terror as gunfire erupted. “Fire was coming from everywhere,” said Heba Jouda, who was in the crowd. “It’s getting worse day by day.”
More than 300 Palestinians have been killed near GHF sites since the group began its operations, drawing criticism from aid organizations and the United Nations, which have refused to cooperate with the foundation. Critics have accused GHF of complicity in Israel’s military campaign, calling the system a “death trap.”
UN human rights chief Volker Türk condemned Israel’s conduct during a speech to the Human Rights Council on Monday. “Israel has weaponised food and blocked lifesaving aid,” he said, urging impartial investigations into attacks on civilians. Türk decried what he called “disturbing, dehumanising rhetoric” from senior Israeli officials.
The International Committee of the Red Cross reported treating 200 injured people on Monday — its highest mass casualty event to date. A day earlier, 170 were wounded, mostly from gunshots, as they tried to access aid.
The Flag Roundabout, located on a route designated by the Israeli military for humanitarian access, has become a frequent site of violence. Palestinians say Israeli troops routinely open fire on those approaching before the centre opens or if they stray from the designated road.
Calls for accountability are growing, as Gaza’s humanitarian catastrophe deepens, with food, medicine, and shelter in critically short supply.
