Airstrike Hits Aid Distribution Site in Rafah, Killing Dozens

At least 27 Palestinians lost their lives and dozens more sustained injuries following an Israeli airstrike on an aid distribution center in the Rafah area of southern Gaza, the local Health Ministry has reported. The site was managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a relief organization reportedly supported by both Israel and the United States.

Since GHF commenced its operations on May 27, daily incidents of violence at aid delivery points have been reported. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has now called for an impartial investigation into the repeated targeting of civilians during humanitarian distributions.

Meanwhile, in the northern part of Gaza, Israel confirmed the deaths of three soldiers in combat operations in Jabalia. It marks one of the deadliest confrontations for Israeli forces since a truce with Hamas collapsed in March.

Bassam Zaqout, head of the Palestinian Medical Relief Society, condemned the attack on the aid center, calling it a “massacre against civilians.” Speaking from Gaza City, he told Al Jazeera that people had gathered simply to receive basic supplies when the attack occurred. “There are no clear systems in place to manage who gets aid and when. These centers have become death zones,” Zaqout said. “Targeting unarmed civilians waiting for help is nothing short of a war crime.”

Gaza’s civil defence agency has accused Israeli forces of firing tank shells and drone missiles at large crowds of Palestinians gathered near an aid access point.
According to Gaza’s officials, the assault targeted civilians waiting peacefully at an aid hub, resulting in panic and casualties. This comes just days after a separate, similar incident on Sunday, where the Hamas-run Health Ministry reported that 31 people were killed and nearly 200 wounded under Israeli fire.

Israel has denied involvement in that earlier event, stating that its forces did not open fire on the crowd. The ongoing allegations and denials come amid growing international concern over the humanitarian conditions in Gaza and the safety of civilians trying to access basic aid.

The overall humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to deteriorate. According to health officials in the territory, the ongoing conflict has resulted in at least 54,381 Palestinian deaths, with more than 124,000 injured.

The latest violence comes in the aftermath of the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led assault on southern Israel, which killed 1,139 people and resulted in the capture of more than 200 individuals. The war now shows no sign of easing as humanitarian conditions continue to worsen.