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At least 21 people have been killed and 175 others wounded in Gaza after approaching an aid distribution point run by a foundation backed by Israel, according to a nearby hospital managed by the Red Cross. The incident occurred on Sunday morning in Rafah, and The Associated Press reported seeing dozens of people being treated at the hospital.
Eyewitnesses claim that the casualties resulted from gunfire near a roundabout close to the aid distribution site. The area is controlled by Israeli forces. One eyewitness, Ibrahim Abu Saoud, said Israeli troops opened fire on the crowd as they moved toward the aid. “There were many martyrs, including women,” said the 40-year-old, adding that they were about 300 meters from the military position. He described seeing numerous gunshot wounds and a young man who died at the scene. “We weren’t able to help him,” he said.
The aid distribution was organized by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a U.S.-based organization supported by both the American and Israeli governments. The group is part of a controversial system that Israeli and U.S. officials say is designed to prevent Hamas from diverting humanitarian assistance. However, they have not provided evidence of widespread diversion, and the United Nations denies any such activity has occurred.
Earlier reports from media outlets linked to Hamas also claimed that over 20 people had died in an Israeli attack on the distribution site in Rafah. Israel has not yet issued a statement on the incident.
Distribution efforts by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation have previously faced issues, with several witnesses saying Israeli forces have fired on crowds near aid delivery points. UN agencies and major humanitarian organizations have refused to participate in the new aid system, criticizing it for violating humanitarian standards. They argue that it gives Israel too much control over who receives aid and forces civilians to relocate to specific areas, potentially causing further displacement.
Prior to Sunday’s events, local health officials had reported at least six deaths and over 50 injuries related to the foundation’s operations. The organization maintains that its private security personnel have not fired on civilians. The Israeli military has admitted to firing warning shots on previous occasions.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation did not immediately comment on the hospital’s latest claims. However, in an earlier statement, the foundation said it had delivered 16 truckloads of aid that morning “without incident” and dismissed what it called “false reporting about deaths, mass injuries and chaos.”
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