
Israeli forces opened fire on starving Palestinians gathered at aid distribution sites operated by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) in southern and central Gaza, killing at least 32 people and wounding over 200, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
The attacks occurred in Rafah, where 31 people were killed, and near the Netzarim Corridor, where one person died.
Eyewitnesses described the incidents as “ambushes,” with Israeli troops targeting civilians queuing for food aid.
The Gaza Government Media Office reported that many victims suffered single gunshot wounds to the head or chest, suggesting deliberate intent to kill.
Hospitals in southern Gaza struggled to cope with the influx of casualties.
Tom Potoka, a consultant plastic surgeon at Nassar Hospital in Khan Younis, said, “The five operating theatres upstairs were fully occupied with patients who came in from this,” noting injuries ranging from gunshot wounds to trauma affecting major blood vessels and abdominal organs.
Marwan al-Hems, director of field hospitals in Gaza, described the scene as a “massacre and a slaughter,” adding, “We tried to save as many as we could, but we lost some due to a shortage of blood.”
Eyewitness Marwa al-Naouq recounted, “Then a quadcopter appeared and began firing at them. After that, the Israeli army opened fire directly on the crowd, and American security forces fired tear gas canisters.”
Hamas accused Israel of weaponizing aid distribution as part of a broader campaign of genocide, while Gaza’s Health Ministry claimed the aid mechanism was a “trap for mass killings” and a tool for forced displacement.
The GHF, however, denied the reports, with an unnamed spokesperson stating, “All aid was distributed today without incident,” and alleging that the claims were “untrue and fabricated” by Hamas.
The Israeli military said it was “unaware of injuries caused by [Israeli army] troops.”
Since May 27, 2025, at least 49 Palestinians have been killed and 305 injured at GHF-run aid sites, per the Gaza Government Media Office.
Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza has resulted in over 54,000 Palestinian deaths, including 16,000 children, and nearly 120,000 injuries since October 2023.