Israeli military actions targeting Palestinians at aid distribution sites in Gaza have resulted in at least 338 civilian deaths, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
On Monday, at least 20 people were killed and over 200 injured near a US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) distribution point in Rafah.
The ministry reported 50 individuals were left in critical condition after Israeli troops opened fire on crowds seeking food and supplies.
The violence is part of a pattern, with daily attacks on aid seekers becoming a grim reality amid Gaza’s worsening humanitarian crisis, exacerbated by an Israeli blockade restricting food, water, and fuel.
The US-run GHF, tasked with distributing limited aid allowed by Israel, has faced sharp criticism for its ineffectiveness and the dangers it poses.
Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), described it as a “lethal distribution system,” noting that restrictions on UN agencies persist despite available aid.
“Tragedies go on unabated while attention shifts elsewhere,” Lazzarini said.
The blockade, coupled with ongoing bombardment and a communication blackout caused by Israeli attacks on Gaza’s last main fiber optic route, has crippled emergency services and deepened the enclave’s isolation, with the Government Media Office calling it a deliberate crime aimed at obscuring the truth.
Gaza’s death toll from Israel’s ongoing war has reached 55,432, with 128,923 injuries, including 2,831 wounded and nine missing at aid sites.
Ahmed Fayad, a survivor of Monday’s attack, warned, “We went there thinking we would get aid to feed our children, but it turned out to be a trap, a killing.”
The Palestinian Health Ministry urged for alternative aid mechanisms to prevent further loss of life.
As Gaza endures relentless violence and a humanitarian catastrophe, Lazzarini emphasized the need for “political will, leadership and courage” to achieve lasting peace, warning that “civilians will always suffer first and suffer most.”