Israeli forces killed at least 59 Palestinians across Gaza on Sunday, with 17 of the victims reportedly shot while attempting to collect food at aid sites run by the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), Al Jazeera reports citing Gaza’s Ministry of Health.
The GHF, backed by Israel and the United States, has come under fire for alleged links to repeated deadly attacks at its distribution hubs.
Medics at al-Awda Hospital in central Gaza reported that at least three Palestinians were shot dead and dozens injured near the Netzarim Corridor as they tried to reach the GHF site in search of scarce food supplies.
In southern Gaza, another 10 aid seekers were killed and over 50 wounded, with many taken to the Red Cross Hospital in Rafah.
Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum, reporting from central Gaza, said witnesses described the shootings as sudden, with no warning shots from Israeli soldiers. “It felt like a trap,” said Ahmed al-Masri, who fled the site unharmed but empty-handed.
Sunday’s violence followed heavy Israeli airstrikes that killed at least 12 Palestinians in southern Gaza, seven in Beit Lahiya, and eight in the Nuseirat refugee camp. Several others were injured in the attacks.
Palestinians have increasingly risked their lives to reach aid distribution points amid famine fears and severe shortages of basic necessities due to Israel’s ongoing blockade and military offensive.
Since GHF began operations in late May, at least 274 Palestinians have been killed near aid sites, Gaza’s Health Ministry said.
The Israeli military has previously admitted to shooting at aid seekers, claiming that they fired on individuals who deviated from designated routes. No comment has been made regarding Sunday’s incidents.
Critics, including the United Nations, have condemned the GHF as an unsafe and inadequate alternative to the UN-led aid system.
UN officials argue that the GHF bypasses established humanitarian channels and has failed to provide safe and effective aid delivery.
Israel’s war on Gaza has killed nearly 55,300 Palestinians to date, most of them civilians.
The humanitarian situation remains dire, with widespread displacement, destruction, and severe hunger impacting the majority of Gaza’s two million residents.
