UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday demanded an independent investigation into the killing of dozens of Palestinians near a US-backed aid distribution site in Gaza, following conflicting accounts of the incident.
Gaza’s Civil Defence agency reported that Israeli gunfire killed at least 31 people and wounded 176 others near the aid center in Rafah on Sunday. AFP photographs showed civilians carrying away bodies, while medics at nearby hospitals described an influx of victims with gunshot wounds.
The Israeli military denied targeting civilians in or around the site, accusing Hamas of spreading misinformation. The administrator of the aid center, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), also blamed Hamas for the allegations.
"I am appalled by the reports of Palestinians killed and injured while seeking aid in Gaza yesterday," Guterres said in a statement, without assigning blame. "It is unacceptable that Palestinians are risking their lives for food. I call for an immediate and independent investigation into these events and for perpetrators to be held accountable."
Early Monday, Israeli forces reportedly opened fire again near the same aid distribution point, killing at least three people and wounding dozens, according to health officials and witnesses. The Israeli military said it fired warning shots at "several suspects who advanced toward troops and posed a threat," but denied preventing civilians from accessing aid.
The GHF, which operates with Israeli and US backing, has introduced a new aid distribution system bypassing the UN-led mechanism. The UN has refused to collaborate with the group, citing neutrality concerns, with some aid agencies alleging it aligns with Israeli military objectives.
Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes. Sameh Hamuda, 33, told AFP that "quadcopter drones opened fire on the people, and tanks started shooting" as crowds approached the site. "Several people were killed right in front of me," he said. Another witness, Abdullah Barbakh, 58, corroborated the account, stating that the army fired from drones and tanks.
The Israeli military said an initial inquiry found its forces "did not fire at civilians while they were near or within the humanitarian aid distribution site."
Negotiations for a truce and the release of hostages taken by Hamas in its October 2023 attack remain deadlocked. Of the 251 hostages seized, 57 are still held in Gaza, including 34 whom Israel says are dead.
Hamas said it was ready to resume indirect talks, but Israel vowed to continue military operations. Since a brief ceasefire collapsed in March, Israel has intensified its campaign against Hamas.
Meanwhile, Gaza’s Civil Defence reported that an Israeli airstrike on a residential building killed 14 people, including six children and three women, with more than 20 others still buried under rubble.
The Hamas-run Health Ministry says at least 4,201 people have been killed since Israel resumed its offensive on March 18, bringing the total death toll to 54,470, mostly civilians. Hamas’s 2023 attack killed 1,218 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally.
Guterres stressed that Israel has a legal obligation to facilitate humanitarian aid under international law. "The unimpeded entry of assistance at scale to meet the enormous needs in Gaza must be restored immediately," he said.
The UN has repeatedly called for full aid access, warning that over two million Gazans face famine after months of war and blockade. Though Israel temporarily eased restrictions, allowing limited supplies through the Kerem Shalom crossing, aid groups say deliveries remain insufficient.
The UN insists it will not participate in any aid plan that compromises humanitarian principles. Meanwhile, displacement continues, with over 640,000 people forced to flee since mid-March, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
As the crisis worsens, looting and water shortages persist. OCHA reported that Israel denied five missions to distribute water in northern Gaza this week, exacerbating dire conditions.