More than 700 Palestinians have been killed trying to get food in the Gaza Strip over the past few weeks, according to new figures from the Gaza Health Ministry.
The ministry reported that at least 743 Palestinians were killed and more than 4,891 others were injured while seeking assistance at Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) distribution sites. This has sparked renewed condemnation of the contentious United States and Israeli-backed aid scheme.
The GHF, which began operating in late May, has drawn widespread criticism amid multiple reports that its contractors and Israeli forces have opened fire on aid seekers. “The tragedy is that this is again a conservative reading of casualties who were at these distribution points, waiting for food parcels,”
Hani Mahmoud said, reporting from Gaza City. Mahmoud emphasized that Palestinian families are desperate to feed their families amid dire shortages caused by Israel’s blockade of Gaza. “People are going hungry. People are rationing supplies. A lot of families are not eating. Mothers here skip meals in order to provide for their children.”
The situation on the ground is dire, with many Palestinians having no choice but to seek assistance from the GHF despite the risks. Majid Abu Laban, a Palestinian man wounded in an attack at a GHF site, shared his harrowing experience.
“I was forced to go to the aid distribution centre simply because my kids had not eaten for three days in a row,” he said. “We try to fool our children by all means, but they are starving. So I decided to risk my life and head to [an aid distribution point] at Netzarim.” Abu Laban described the chaos that ensued when Israeli forces fired artillery shells at the crowd, saying, “In the chaos, everyone was just trying to survive.”
The United Nations has also expressed concern over the situation. Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, told reporters in Geneva that most victims died near GHF food distribution centers or aid convoys between May 26 and June 27.
“The Israeli military has shelled and shot at Palestinians trying to reach aid points. We need an investigation. We need access. We need an independent inquiry, and we need accountability for these killings.”
The GHF has denied reports of live ammunition and stun grenades being fired at Palestinian civilians seeking aid, calling them “categorically false.” However, Amnesty International has described the group’s operations as an “inhumane and deadly militarized scheme.”
Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, has condemned the Israeli government’s actions, stating that Israel is “responsible for one of the cruelest genocides in modern history”.
The death toll in Gaza continues to rise, with the Gaza Health Ministry reporting over 57,000 Palestinians killed since October 2023. The situation remains dire, with many calling for an independent investigation and accountability for the killings.