In the past few days, a significant number of casualties in Gaza have been attributed to the delivery of humanitarian aid, rather than direct Israeli airstrikes on Hamas targets. Eyewitness accounts describe a harrowing scene in which Israeli forces reportedly opened fire and shelled an area near a junction to the east of Khan Younis, where thousands of Palestinians had gathered, hoping to receive flour from a World Food Programme (WFP) distribution site that also included a nearby community kitchen.
Local journalists and witnesses recounted that Israeli drones launched two missiles at the crowd, followed shortly by artillery fire from an Israeli tank situated between 400 and 500 meters away. The resulting explosions inflicted numerous casualties among the gathered civilians. This tragic incident occurred near a vital road leading to the town of Bani Suheila, an area that has witnessed weeks of intense Israeli military operations.
The main functioning medical facility in the region, Nasser Hospital, has been inundated with casualties. Medical staff are struggling to cope with the overwhelming number of injured individuals, many of whom are treated on the floor due to a lack of space. Video footage illustrating the immediate aftermath of the incident, verified by BBC Verify, has emerged from Khan Younis, further highlighting the severity of the situation.
According to Mahmud Bassal, spokesman for Gaza's civil defense agency, at least 50 individuals were reported killed in the attack. He stated, "Israeli drones fired at the citizens. Minutes later, Israeli tanks shelled the area, leading to a high number of martyrs and wounded." The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged the occurrence of the incident, stating that a gathering was identified near an aid distribution truck that had become stuck in Khan Younis, and that they were reviewing reports of injuries caused by their fire.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has indicated that it received reports of a mass casualty incident tied to a food distribution initiative. Dr. Thanos Gargavanis, a trauma surgeon and emergency officer with WHO, noted a persistent correlation between the locations of food distribution sites and incidents resulting in mass casualties. He reported that recent trauma injuries were predominantly associated with gunshot wounds.
For weeks, medical personnel have sounded the alarm about Nasser Hospital's capacity to handle the influx of casualties, exacerbated by a lack of medical supplies and Israeli evacuation orders in the vicinity. The hospital has been facing a near-daily surge of injuries stemming from shooting incidents near aid distribution points run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which is supported by both Israel and the United States.
Witnesses have consistently reported that Israeli troops initiated fire during these incidents, though there have also been claims of local armed groups firing at civilians. The IDF typically responds by asserting that troops warned civilians not to approach them, resorting to warning shots when individuals deemed suspicious acted in a threatening manner. However, the IDF has provided scant details regarding these incidents.
International news organizations, including BBC, are restricted from entering Gaza, complicating the verification of events on the ground. The GHF has distanced itself from the shootings, asserting that such incidents should not be linked to their operations as they occur away from designated sites. Nevertheless, the dire situation illustrates a desperate population seeking limited food supplies, driven by the structure of the current distribution system.
The IDF has also instructed Palestinians to avoid aid distribution sites between 6:00 PM and 6:00 AM local time. Yet, in their pursuit of food, many individuals find themselves with little choice but to risk their safety. Verified footage from GHF sites depicts massive crowds of Palestinians racing to secure food parcels, often without any apparent crowd control measures in place. The GHF has temporarily closed its sites on at least two occasions in an attempt to enhance security.
Meanwhile, the alternative method for delivering aid to Gaza—approximately 100 trucks permitted daily by Israel—has increasingly witnessed incidents of shooting as individuals attempt to access supplies, whether from distribution points or during the transit of aid convoys. This situation underscores a breakdown in both security and the aid distribution system.
In reaction to the recent violence, Hamas has denounced the aid centers as "death traps." The desperate search for food has led to looting, with criminal gangs, militias, and Hamas exploiting the chaos for their own purposes, further endangering an already perilous situation.
Critics assert that the GHF facilitates a plan by the Israeli government to displace Palestinians into smaller areas of Gaza. Conversely, Israel argues that the alternative aid distribution system is necessary to prevent Hamas from pilfering humanitarian assistance. On Monday, Volker Turk, the UN human rights chief, accused Israel of weaponizing food and called for a thorough investigation into the shootings. Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, lamented that "tragedies go on unabated while attention shifts elsewhere."
Unfortunately, there appears to be no cohesive plan from Israel, the GHF, or the international community to mitigate the near-daily killings of Palestinians as they risk their lives in search of minimal food supplies. Since the launch of Israel's military campaign in response to a Hamas-led cross-border attack on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 individuals and 251 others taken hostage, the death toll in Gaza has tragically exceeded 55,297, according to the territory's health ministry.
