Date: June 16, 2025
Source: BlogHear.com
At least 22 Palestinians have died from Israeli gunfire near aid distribution points operated by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed it is investigating the reports but has not yet released a detailed statement. The aid sites were established after Israel partially eased a three-month blockade, which the United Nations has said pushed Gaza’s population to the brink of starvation.
On Monday, 20 Palestinians were reportedly killed at a GHF center in al-Alam, southern Rafah, while two others died at a separate GHF site in the central Netzarim corridor. Many of the wounded were taken to Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, where families gathered and Islamic burial rites were conducted swiftly.
Dr. Ahmed Alfara of Nasser hospital described the food distribution as a “100% failure,” explaining that the aid was inaccessible to those who needed it most. “No one can get that distribution, no one can get it,” he said. Alfara added that many casualties had suffered severe gunshot wounds, including injuries to the head.
Ahmed Fayad, who attempted to obtain food from the GHF site on Monday, described the operation as a “trap.” He warned others, stating, “We went there thinking we would get aid to feed our children, but it turned out to be a trap, a killing. I advise everyone: don’t go there.”
Al-Alam has been the site of multiple deadly incidents since the GHF’s food distribution program began in late May. The Gaza health ministry reports that at least 300 people have been killed and over 2,600 injured near these aid sites since May 26.
The IDF disputes the death toll and alleges that Hamas is responsible for much of the violence surrounding these incidents.
Volker Türk, the UN Human Rights Chief, condemned the situation during his address to the UN Human Rights Council, accusing Israel of weaponizing food and calling for a full investigation into the attacks near aid distribution sites. UN agencies have distanced themselves from working with the GHF amid these concerns.
Restrictions on access have made independent verification of events in Gaza difficult, as Israel does not permit international media, including the BBC, entry into the territory.
This violence unfolds against the backdrop of ongoing conflict, with Israel’s military campaign in Gaza ongoing since October 7, 2023. That campaign began in response to a Hamas-led cross-border attack that killed approximately 1,200 Israelis and took 251 hostages. Since then, Gaza’s health ministry reports that over 55,000 people have died in the territory.
This ongoing violence highlights the severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the urgent need for safe and effective aid distribution.
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