Khan Younis, Gaza – At least eight Palestinians were killed and dozens injured early Sunday morning after gunfire erupted near US-supported humanitarian aid sites in Gaza’s southern city of Rafah, according to local health authorities. Witnesses have accused Israeli forces of opening fire on crowds of desperate civilians seeking food assistance at two distribution points. The Israeli military has not released an official statement regarding the incident, reported the Al Jazeera.
The shooting took place at dawn near facilities run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation — an initiative supported by the US and Israel, intended to replace the UN-led aid distribution system. However, the United Nations has rejected this initiative, citing violations of humanitarian principles.
“There were wounded, dead, and martyrs,” said Ahmed al-Masri, who returned from the site without receiving any aid. “It’s a trap.”
Another witness, Umm Hosni al-Najjar, described the chaos as people gathered near the Tal al-Sultan neighborhood site around 4:30 am. “The shooting started soon after we arrived. Many were injured and killed. No one could even evacuate the wounded,” she said.
The Nasser Hospital in nearby Khan Younis reported receiving eight bodies after the attack. In total, Gaza’s Health Ministry said hospitals received 65 bodies over the past 24 hours due to Israeli airstrikes and gunfire.
Humanitarian workers say the new aid system has been chaotic and violent, especially since Israel’s military zones restrict media and independent oversight. While the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation claims its sites are safe, eyewitness reports suggest otherwise. Daily shootings have been reported at these locations since their establishment last month.
The UN has criticized the new aid structure, stating it fails to meet Gaza’s critical needs, increases the risk of mass displacement, and gives Israel undue control over aid distribution. Meanwhile, the original UN system remains hamstrung by Israeli restrictions and lawlessness on the ground.
COGAT, the Israeli agency responsible for aid coordination, reported that 292 aid trucks entered Gaza last week — far fewer than the 600 trucks per day seen during ceasefires.
The ongoing war began after Hamas launched an attack on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 Israelis and taking 251 hostages. Israel’s retaliation has since claimed over 55,300 Palestinian lives, with women and children making up a significant portion of the dead, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
More than 90% of Gaza’s population has been displaced, and almost all local food production has been destroyed, leaving most people entirely reliant on international aid.
