27 Palestinians killed in Israeli fire at Gaza food point, officials say

At least 27 Palestinians were killed and many more injured by Israeli gunfire, on Tuesday, June 3, 2025 as they waited for food at a distribution site in Gaza, according to health officials.

The Guardian reports that the deadly event occurred at a distribution point managed by the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) in the al-Mawasi area near Rafah.

This marks the third such incident in as many days.

Also, for the first time during the recent escalation, the Israeli military acknowledged that its troops fired at individuals approaching them.

Mahmoud Bassal, spokesperson for Gaza’s civil defense, told Agence France-Presse that Israeli forces used tanks and drones to fire on thousands of civilians who had gathered at dawn near the al-Alam roundabout.

Gaza’s health ministry confirmed that 27 people were killed early Tuesday, a figure also reported by Hamas-linked media outlets.

Mohammed Saqr, head of nursing at Nasser Hospital, where the bodies were taken, said three children and two women were among the dead.

Most casualties had gunshot wounds, while others had shrapnel injuries, suggesting the use of heavy artillery.

The International Committee of the Red Cross reported receiving 184 wounded individuals at its field hospital in Rafah.

Nineteen were declared dead upon arrival, and eight more succumbed to their injuries later.

A video circulated on social media showed chaos at the hospital, with wounded people being dragged into the facility and several bodies visible.

In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said its troops fired near the food distribution area after noticing “a number of suspects” approaching.

The IDF described the initial shots as “evasive.”

However, it said further shots were fired when the individuals continued to move toward the soldiers in a way perceived as threatening.

The military clarified that the shooting occurred about 500 meters from the aid site and that an investigation was underway.

It emphasized that Israel was not preventing civilians from accessing aid.

The GHF, which is responsible for distributing food in Gaza, acknowledged the shooting incident.

It also confirmed that it took place outside the designated safe corridor and within a restricted military zone.

The foundation said the event occurred well beyond its secure area.

The GHF has been controversial since it took over aid efforts from UN agencies, with critics claiming it enables Israel to weaponize food access.

Witness accounts painted a grim picture.

Yasser Abu Lubda, a displaced Palestinian from Rafah, said gunfire erupted around 4 a.m. at the Flag Roundabout, nearly one kilometer from the food site.

He witnessed multiple people being killed or injured.

Neima al-Aaraj from Khan Younis described the Israeli shooting as “indiscriminate” and said there was no aid available when she finally reached the hub.

She vowed never to return.

Another woman, Rasha al-Nahal, reported gunfire “from all directions” and also found no food at the site.

She said Israeli forces fired on people even as they tried to leave.

The United Nations’ human rights chief, Volker Türk, condemned the killings, calling them a war crime.

“Deadly attacks on distraught civilians trying to access the paltry amounts of food aid in Gaza are unconscionable,” he said.

He asserted that such attacks violate international law.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres had already called for an independent investigation into similar incidents on Sunday, expressing outrage at reports of Palestinians killed while seeking aid.

Sunday’s events echoed the violence seen on Tuesday.

More than 30 Palestinians were reportedly killed as they approached a GHF distribution site.

The Red Cross confirmed treating numerous injuries, and footage from the scene showed people running amid gunfire, some being loaded into ambulances.

The IDF denied targeting civilians directly but admitted to firing warning shots at individuals approaching the troops.

Last Wednesday, Hamas also accused Israel of killing at least three Palestinians and injuring 46 near another GHF food site.

The military responded that it had fired warning shots to manage the crowd, not to harm civilians.

These incidents are occurring against the backdrop of extreme humanitarian distress in Gaza.

Israel has maintained a blockade on supplies since March, alleging that Hamas was diverting aid for military purposes, an accusation Hamas denies.

According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), half a million Gazans face starvation.

These include 71,000 children under five projected to suffer acute malnutrition over the next year.

The GHF’s operations have faced significant scrutiny.

Formed by former humanitarian, government, and military officials, the organization began distributing aid amidst heavy Israeli airstrikes.

Its director, Jake Wood, resigned last week, stating the foundation lacked the independence necessary to operate effectively.

The UN and several aid groups have rejected the new system.

It argued that it is inadequate for Gaza’s 2.3 million residents and risks being used by Israel to exert control through food distribution.

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