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Palestinians gunned down while trying to reach food aid site in Gaza, hospital says Palestinians gunned down while trying to reach food aid site in Gaza, hospital says
(about 5 hours later)
Witnesses say Israeli forces opened fire on people near distribution point run by Israel-backed foundationWitnesses say Israeli forces opened fire on people near distribution point run by Israel-backed foundation
More than 30 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire on Sunday as they went to receive food at an aid distribution point set up by an Israeli-backed foundation in Gaza, according to witnesses,, with a hospital run by the Red Cross confirming it was treating many wounded. More than 30 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire on Sunday as they went to receive food at an aid distribution point set up by an Israeli-backed foundation in Gaza, according to witnesses, and a hospital run by the Red Cross confirming it was treating many wounded.
Witnesses told the Associated Press that Israeli forces had opened fire as they headed toward the aid distribution site in Rafah run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). Witnesses said Israeli forces had opened fire as Palestinians headed toward the aid distribution site in Rafah run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
“There were many martyrs, including women,” Ibrahim Abu Saoud, 40, told the Associated Press. “We were about 300 metres away from the military.” “My brother went to receive aid from the American distribution points in Rafah when the bullets started raining down on them,” Yarin Abu al-Naja, 44, said. “The Israeli soldiers had started shooting at the people there. My brother went with two of his friends. One of them was critically injured in the head, the other was killed, and my brother was shot in the back.
Saoud said he saw many people with gunshot wounds, including a young man who he said had died at the scene. “We weren’t able to help him,” he said. “He was transported to the hospital by a donkey cart – no ambulances can reach the area, and there were dozens of injured and dead,” Naja added. “We saw him placed on the ground. There were no available beds due to the large number of casualties and dead arriving from the same location. The scenes were horrific – people missing limbs, hands or legs, others decapitated, or with open abdomens.”
Media reports said dozens of people were being treated at the hospital after the latest incident at the controversial site in Rafah. Officials at the field hospital did not say who opened fire but added that another 175 people were wounded. An Associated Press reporter saw dozens of people being treated at the hospital. Media reports said dozens of people were being treated at the hospital after the latest incident at the controversial site in Rafah. Officials at the field hospital did not say who opened fire but added that another 175 people were wounded.
The local Palestinian Red Crescent, affiliated with the international Red Cross, said its medical teams had recovered the bodies of 23 Palestinians and treated another 23 injured near an aid collection site in Rafah. Local health authorities said at least 31 bodies had so far arrived at Nasser hospital.The local Palestinian Red Crescent, affiliated with the international Red Cross, said its medical teams had recovered the bodies of 23 Palestinians and treated another 23 injured near an aid collection site in Rafah. Local health authorities said at least 31 bodies had so far arrived at Nasser hospital.
The Red Crescent also reported that a further 14 Palestinians were injured near a separate aid distribution site in central Gaza.The Red Crescent also reported that a further 14 Palestinians were injured near a separate aid distribution site in central Gaza.
The Israel Defense Forces said they were “currently unaware” of injuries caused by their fire at the aid site, but that they were looking into it. The foundation claimed in a statement that it delivered aid “without incident” early on Sunday and has denied previous accounts of chaos and gunfire around its sites, which are in Israeli military zones where independent access is limited.The Israel Defense Forces said they were “currently unaware” of injuries caused by their fire at the aid site, but that they were looking into it. The foundation claimed in a statement that it delivered aid “without incident” early on Sunday and has denied previous accounts of chaos and gunfire around its sites, which are in Israeli military zones where independent access is limited.
Thousands of people headed toward the distribution site hours before dawn. As they approached the site, Israeli forces ordered them to disperse and come back later, witnesses said. When the crowds reached the Flag Roundabout, about 1km away, at about 3am, Israeli forces opened fire, the witnesses said. Israeli forces had given orders that no one should approach the hub before 6am. Multiple witnesses said people had begun lining up from 5am, and dozens are said to have surged forward and started running towards it. When the crowds reached the Flag Roundabout, about 1km (0.6 miles) away, Israeli forces started shooting at the crowd, witnesses said.
Mohammed Abu Teaima, 33, said he saw Israeli forces open fire and kill his cousin and another woman as they were heading to the hub. He said his cousin was shot in his chest and died at the scene. Many others were wounded, including his brother-in-law, he said. “I went with my brother Shuhada to get food for our children,” Hani Baraka, 43, said. ‘‘The area was very crowded. At the start, a quadcopter drone came and gave orders, saying it was still too early to open the gates and that they would open them at 6am. It seems people moved forward earlier than the time set by the army. The soldiers panicked and began firing at the crowd. My brother was shot in the head and killed instantly.”
“They opened heavy fire directly toward us,” he said as he was waiting outside the Red Cross field hospital for word on his wounded relative. “On its way back, the drone hit a hanging wire and fell to the ground,” Baraka added. “People rushed toward it, and then the Israeli soldiers opened fire on us. Army snipers surrounded the area and started shooting at the crowd.”
‘‘There was fire from all directions, from naval warships, from tanks and drones,” said Amr Abu Teiba, who was in the crowd. The GHF has hired private security firms, but according to witnesses, the private contractors did not open fire on the crowd.
He said he saw at least 10 bodies with gunshot wounds and several other wounded people, including women. People used carts to ferry the dead and wounded to the field hospital. “The scene was horrible,” he said. “Inside the gate, there were armed American soldiers, but they did not fire at us,” Baraka said. “They only threw plastic stun grenades in the square to scare people and clear the area once the aid ran out.”
Reuters footage showed ambulance vehicles carrying injured people to Nasser hospital. Other clips emerged showing people running and ducking, with apparent gunfire audible in the background. One piece of footage seems to have been filmed in the Salah al-Din Road, just south of aid distribution site in the Netzarim corridor. Reuters footage showed ambulance vehicles carrying injured people to Nasser hospital. Other clips emerged showing people running and ducking, with apparent gunfire audible in the background. One piece of footage seems to have been filmed in the Salah al-Din Road, just south of an aid distribution site in the Netzarim corridor.
Doctors at the Nasser hospital reported chaotic scenes, with dozens of bodies being brought in. It was not clear whether the dead were all people killed at the aid hub. Doctors at the Nasser hospital reported chaotic scenes, with dozens of bodies being brought in.
“The situation in the hospital is catastrophic, due to the massacre of the hungry in Rafah city, near the aid distribution centre,” Dr Marwan al-Hams, 53, who is working in the emergency department at Nasser hospital, said. “Most injuries were shot in the upper parts of the body – the head, chest, and abdomen – as the Israeli army was reportedly firing from high altitudes using aircraft or quadcopters. A witness on the scene said that shots were also fired from a crane and from tanks.”
The hub is part of a controversial new aid system.The hub is part of a controversial new aid system.
On 28 May, Hamas accused Israel of killing at least three Palestinians and wounding 46 near one of the GHF’s distribution sites, an accusation the group denied. The Israeli military said its troops fired warning shots in the area outside the compound to re-establish control as thousands of Palestinians rushed to an aid distribution site.On 28 May, Hamas accused Israel of killing at least three Palestinians and wounding 46 near one of the GHF’s distribution sites, an accusation the group denied. The Israeli military said its troops fired warning shots in the area outside the compound to re-establish control as thousands of Palestinians rushed to an aid distribution site.
Israel imposed a blockade on all supplies in March, saying Hamas was seizing deliveries for its fighters, which the group denies. Earlier this month, a global hunger monitor said half a million people in the strip faced starvation. Israel imposed a blockade on all supplies in March, saying Hamas was seizing deliveries for its fighters, which the group denies. Earlier this month, a global hunger monitor said half a million people in the strip faced starvation.
The IPC estimated that nearly 71,000 children under the age of five were expected to be “acutely malnourished”, with 14,100 cases expected to be severe in the next 11 months.The IPC estimated that nearly 71,000 children under the age of five were expected to be “acutely malnourished”, with 14,100 cases expected to be severe in the next 11 months.
The UN and other humanitarian organisations have rejected the new system for food distribution, saying it would not be able to meet the needs of Gaza’s 2.3 million people and allowed Israel to use food as a weapon to control the population. They have also said there was a risk of friction between Israeli troops and hungry people seeking supplies.The UN and other humanitarian organisations have rejected the new system for food distribution, saying it would not be able to meet the needs of Gaza’s 2.3 million people and allowed Israel to use food as a weapon to control the population. They have also said there was a risk of friction between Israeli troops and hungry people seeking supplies.
The organisations added that the newly formed group had no experience and so would not be able to handle the logistics of feeding more than 2 million people in a devastated combat zone, a prediction the dangerous scenes in recent days appeared to confirm. The latest incident took place as Hamas and Israel exchanged blame over a faltering effort to secure a ceasefire.
The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa), Philippe Lazzarini, said on Wednesday that the new – US-backed – distribution model was a waste of resources and a distraction from “atrocities”. Hamas said on Saturday it was seeking amendments to a US-backed ceasefire proposal, but President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff rejected the group’s response as “totally unacceptable”.
The incident took place as Hamas and Israel exchanged blame over a faltering effort to secure a ceasefire. Hamas said on Saturday it had submitted its response containing some amendments to a proposal presented by Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, to mediators, the most concrete sign of progress towards a ceasefire since March.
The Palestinian group said in a statement that under the deal, it will release 10 living hostages and 18 bodies in return for Israel’s release of Palestinian prisoners – a change to the US’s latest proposal that will make it more difficult for Israel to resume fighting if talks on a permanent ceasefire are not completed by the end of the truce.
The updated proposal includes a demand for an end to the war, which had previously been a red line for Israel, and envisions the release of the Israelis held captive in Gaza being spread out more throughout the 60-day truce, rather than in two batches on the first and seventh day as the US offer suggested.
Witkoff responded on Saturday evening by saying the Hamas response was “totally unacceptable and only takes us backward”.
“Hamas should accept the framework proposal we put forward as the basis for proximity talks, which we can begin immediately this coming week,” he said. “That is the only way we can close a 60-day ceasefire deal in the coming days in which half of the living hostages and half of those who are deceased will come home to their families and in which we can have at the proximity talks substantive negotiations in good faith to try to reach a permanent ceasefire.”
The Israeli prime minister’s office said: “While Israel has agreed to the updated Witkoff outline for the release of our hostages, Hamas continues to adhere to its refusal … Israel will continue its action for the return of our hostages and the defeat of Hamas.”
A senior Hamas official responded that the group “did not reject” the hostage release proposal, and that Witkoff’s response to their answer was “unfair” and showed “complete bias” in favour of Israel.
Reuters and Associated Press contributed to this reportReuters and Associated Press contributed to this report