Israeli forces have killed at least 86 Palestinians in Gaza since dawn on Tuesday, June 24, with 56 of the victims reportedly shot near aid distribution points, highlighting the increasingly deadly conditions civilians face as they seek basic necessities amid the worsening humanitarian crisis.
Medical sources confirmed that most of those killed were unarmed civilians attempting to access food and relief supplies in the heavily blockaded territory. In Rafah, southern Gaza, 27 people were fatally shot by Israeli troops while approaching an aid site—one of several incidents linked to the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
Since GHF launched its operations in late May, over 400 Palestinians have been killed and more than 1,000 injured near its distribution centres. The foundation—backed by Israel and the United States—has come under intense scrutiny, accused of prioritising military interests over humanitarian safety. The United Nations has refused to collaborate with GHF, calling its approach “a death trap.”
The overall Palestinian death toll since the war began on October 7, 2023, has now surpassed 56,000, with over 131,000 injured, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health.
On Tuesday, 25 people were reported killed and 140 injured—62 of them critically—on Salah al-Din Street in central Gaza. Video footage verified by Al Jazeera’s Sanad agency showed bodies being rushed to al-Awda Hospital in the Nuseirat refugee camp. Emergency departments at the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis and al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City were also overwhelmed.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos as Israeli tanks and drones allegedly opened fire without warning. “It was a massacre,” said local resident Ahmed Halawa. “They even fired as we were fleeing.”
The Israeli military stated it is reviewing reports of civilian deaths, asserting that the incident occurred near the militarised Netzarim Corridor, where individuals allegedly approached troops. Israel often justifies strikes near aid sites by labelling individuals as “suspects,” though humanitarian organisations continue to report that victims are typically unarmed civilians.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric voiced deep concern, stating, “People are being killed just for trying to get food because of a militarized humanitarian distribution system that meets none of the standards for a fair, independent, and impartial humanitarian system.”
Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA, condemned GHF’s operations as “an abomination” and “a death trap costing more lives than it saves.” Fourteen human rights organisations, including the International Commission of Jurists, have called for an end to militarised aid delivery in Gaza.
Philip Grant, executive director of TRIAL International, warned that the GHF’s practices “violate core humanitarian principles” and could lead to “prosecution for complicity in war crimes, including forcible transfer and starvation of civilians.”
Despite rising international condemnation, the United States has pledged \$30 million to support GHF—its first publicly known financial contribution. GHF is reported to contract private U.S. military and logistics firms to deliver aid inside Gaza.
