Fatal Shooting at Gaza Humanitarian Aid Site
On June 5, 2025, Israeli forces opened fire near an aid distribution center in southern Gaza, resulting in dozens of casualties. The Palestinian Health Ministry reported 31 dead and over 200 injured in the shooting incident close to a humanitarian aid site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
Survivors described scenes of panic as thousands rushed to access food supplies amid an ongoing blockade. The area where the shooting occurred lies within a zone under full Israeli military control.
Background: Aid Suspension and Humanitarian Crisis
In March 2025, Israel suspended all humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza, leading to severe shortages of food, medicine, and fuel for the approximately two million residents. The United Nations reported over 3,000 aid trucks stranded at the border, unable to reach those in need. In response, the GHF established new aid centers in Israeli-controlled territories, which have since become focal points of tension and violence.
Details of the Incident and Eyewitness Accounts
Multiple eyewitnesses reported hearing continuous machine gun fire as crowds gathered near the aid distribution point on Al-Rasheed Street near Tel al-Sultan in Rafah. Videos show tracer fire illuminating the sky shortly after the site opened around 5:00 a.m. Survivors, including Mohammed Saqer, recounted graphic scenes of severe injuries and chaos:
- Four young men were seen with direct head wounds.
- A bystander was hit by a bullet in the eye.
- The gunfire reportedly came from weapons firing up to 960 rounds per minute, consistent with the FN MAG machine guns mounted on Israeli tanks.
Official Responses and Controversies
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) initially denied targeting civilians but later acknowledged firing warning shots at individuals approaching from unauthorized access points approximately one kilometer from the site. IDF spokesperson Brig. General Effie Defrin characterized reports of a massacre as false and dismissed them as propaganda.
However, footage from GHF surveillance cameras contradicts these claims, displaying large crowds seeking aid with visible gunfire flashes in the vicinity. Following the shooting, bodies of those hit littered the area.
The Palestinian Health Ministry confirmed the use of NATO-standard ammunition, which aligns with Israeli weapons. While GHF denied any gunfire originating from their site and labeled reports as fabricated, multiple independent testimonies and video evidence contest this assertion.
Continued Violence and International Reactions
Subsequent days saw additional attacks near the distribution center that resulted in nearly 30 more casualties. The IDF maintained that fire was returned only after individuals approached from unspecified points, describing them as potential threats.
The United Nations criticized GHF's distribution practices as unsafe and unregulated, warning that the approach risks exploiting the population's hunger as a tool in the conflict.
Earlier IDF-released drone footage alleging obstruction by militant groups was later debunked by independent fact-checkers, revealing it was unrelated to the attack in question.
Summary
The deadly shooting at a Gaza humanitarian aid site underscores the escalating humanitarian crisis amid military tensions and restricted aid access. This event, corroborated by multiple sources and eyewitnesses, has intensified global concern over the safety of civilians seeking essential aid within conflict zones.
