The latest deaths add to U.N. figures showing that more than 670 Palestinians have been killed since May near sites built under a new Israel-backed aid system. On Saturday morning, Israeli soldiers opened fire on crowds of civilians near a food distribution site in southern Gaza, killing at least 32 people.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic, with large numbers of people rushing towards the aid point despite warnings from the military. The Israeli military claimed that troops fired “warning shots” after people approached them without complying with orders to halt. However, survivors said that soldiers fired without warning, and several were shot in separate incidents.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which manages the new system, acknowledged that some deadly Israeli military activity had occurred hours before the site opened. The organization has told civilians to avoid the sites before they open, but many still flock to them due to food scarcity.
Aid groups say that the new system has created a near-daily death trap for civilians seeking food. Israel’s blockade on Gaza has exacerbated hunger, which surged after the 80-day blockade from March to May. Recently, UNRWA screened over 10,600 children in June and found nearly one in 10 suffering from malnourishment.
The violence is linked to a contentious aid system introduced by Israel nearly two months ago. The U.N. says that more than 670 Palestinians have been killed near these sites since May. The Gaza Health Ministry reports at least 32 deaths, with the total number of Palestinians killed rising due to ongoing clashes and military operations in the region.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/19/world/middleeast/gaza-humanitarian-foundation-israel-attack.html