At least 17 Palestinians lost their lives and dozens more were injured on Tuesday after Israeli forces reportedly opened fire near a humanitarian aid distribution site in central Gaza, according to Gaza health officials.
The incident unfolded as thousands of displaced residents gathered in desperation near a U.S.-backed aid center operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), hoping to receive critical food supplies. Health authorities say the wounded were rushed to Al-Awda Hospital in Nuseirat and Al-Quds Hospital in Gaza City.
According to the Israeli military, troops fired “warning shots” at individuals they labeled as “suspects” approaching the Wadi Gaza area. The army said the shots were fired hundreds of meters away from the aid center, before operations began, and insisted the people targeted posed a threat.
However, the death toll reported by local health officials paints a much grimmer picture. Philippe Lazzarini, head of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), condemned the violence, stating on X:
“Day after day, casualties and injuries are reported at distribution points manned by Israel and private security firms… This system humiliates the desperate and leaves the most vulnerable behind.”
Palestinians on the ground shared harrowing stories of their experiences. Mohammad Abu Amr, a 40-year-old father of two, said he left home at 2 a.m. to stand in line but returned empty-handed.
“Aid ran out in five minutes. Some people walked over 20 kilometers and got nothing. It’s chaos,” he told Reuters via messaging app.
The GHF, which began distributing food in Gaza in late May, claimed the incident occurred hours before any aid operations started. Still, witnesses described the access routes to the aid sites as extremely dangerous and unregulated, with reports of violence and looting.
In a separate but related tragedy, an Israeli airstrike reportedly hit a house in Deir al-Balah, killing eight more people. This brings the total number of Palestinians killed on Tuesday to at least 25.
Meanwhile, Israel intercepted a rocket launched from northern Gaza, signaling that Hamas and other militant groups are still capable of launching attacks despite sustained Israeli bombardments.
The ongoing conflict has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians — the majority civilians — since the war began in October 2023, after Hamas-led fighters killed 1,200 Israelis and took 251 hostages in a surprise assault.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to escalate. Aid groups warn that famine is imminent, with limited U.N.-led relief efforts only allowed back into the region in mid-May following an 11-week blockade. Yet, many say the supplies are woefully insufficient — “a drop in the ocean” compared to the overwhelming need.
As the war rages on, the international community is being called upon to ensure that humanitarian aid can be distributed safely, without more bloodshed.
