Gaza: The brutal campaign against Palestinians continues, with the latest tragedy unfolding on Sunday in Rafah, southern Gaza, where Israeli forces allegedly opened fire at an aid distribution site. At least 31 Palestinians were killed and over 200 injured while waiting for food assistance provided by the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
According to Reuters, eyewitnesses and medical sources confirmed that Israeli forces directly fired on crowds gathered to receive food aid. Emergency departments at Nasser Hospital received 28 dead bodies and around 150 wounded, many of them in critical condition. The International Committee of the Red Cross confirmed that its Rafah medical facility recorded one of the highest numbers of injuries that day. The incident reportedly occurred in the Al-Hashash area near a distribution point.
Mohammed Al-Mughayyir, a Palestinian Civil Emergency Services official, said that Israeli forces targeted an aid center in the Tel al-Sultan area. Initially, 10 fatalities and about 50 injuries were reported. Later, Gaza’s Health Ministry updated the toll to at least 31 dead and over 169 wounded.
In videos obtained by Reuters, horrific scenes show people screaming and rushing the wounded—some covered in blood—to nearby hospitals. Among the dead were men and young boys, including a child wearing a United Nations school uniform.
The Israeli military has denied responsibility, stating that no strikes occurred in the Al-Mawasi area, which it classifies as a "humanitarian zone." The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed such attacks would contradict their official policy. However, video evidence and witness testimonies strongly contradict the military's denial.
GHF, the U.S.-based organization responsible for aid distribution, was founded in February 2025 with U.S. and Israeli support. It was introduced as an alternative to the United Nations-led aid mechanism, which GHF claims was being misused by Hamas. However, the UN refused to participate in the new system, describing it as contrary to humanitarian principles.
Several global humanitarian organizations, including Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), have harshly criticized GHF’s operations, describing them as endangering civilians and likening them to a “death trap.” The system requires Palestinians to travel long and dangerous distances under siege conditions to access essential food supplies, often risking their lives.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza, exacerbated by months of Israeli blockade, has left residents without sufficient access to food, medicine, and clean water. Civilians, desperate from months of starvation and suffering, approach aid centers only to be met with gunfire. Even when they reach hospitals, there is often a severe lack of medicine and medical resources to treat them.
This latest incident has taken place amid stalled ceasefire negotiations. A Hamas official stated that the current U.S.-backed proposal fails to meet their key demands, including a permanent ceasefire and complete Israeli withdrawal. Mediation efforts by Qatar and Egypt have so far failed to yield any results.
Palestinians and international observers are now calling for independent investigations into the attack and urgent measures to ensure the safe and effective delivery of humanitarian aid. The situation in Rafah further highlights the worsening humanitarian disaster in Gaza, where basic survival is now a daily struggle for millions.