Lethal Assaults on Aid Distribution Sites
At least 35 Palestinians were killed and numerous others injured in an Israeli airstrike targeting civilians waiting for humanitarian aid near the Netzarim Corridor in central Gaza, according to al-Awda Hospital sources.
The attack, one of several reported on Friday, struck near aid distribution points operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a group criticized by the United Nations for failing to ensure safe aid delivery.
Since the GHF began distributions on May 27, hundreds of Palestinians seeking aid have been killed in similar incidents, with Gaza’s Government Media Office reporting a total of 409 deaths and 3,203 injuries among aid seekers as of Thursday.
In a separate incident, Israeli jets bombed a residential building west of Deir el-Balah, killing at least eight people and wounding others.
Additional strikes across Gaza, including drone attacks near Al-Shifa Hospital and in the Shejaiya neighborhood, claimed more lives, with medics reporting a total of 50 Palestinian deaths on Friday.
In southern Gaza, 13-year-old Rafif Alaa Khalil Al-Bureim was fatally shot by Israeli forces near Khan Younis, highlighting the widespread targeting of civilians.
Rescue efforts remain hampered by ongoing bombardment and unsafe conditions, leaving many dead and wounded unattended, eyewitnesses told Anadolu.
The relentless Israeli offensive, ongoing since October 2023, has killed over 55,700 Palestinians, predominantly women and children, and deepened Gaza’s humanitarian crisis.
A total blockade from early March to late May has pushed the region toward famine, with UNICEF warning of a man-made drought as only 40 percent of drinking water facilities remain functional.
“Children will begin to die of thirst,” UNICEF spokesperson James Elder said in Geneva, noting the collapse of Gaza’s water systems.
The GHF’s aid distribution system, which some describe as a 'kill zone', has been criticized for exacerbating the crisis, with reports of mass casualty events driven by confusion over site openings.