Khan Younis, Gaza – More than 50 Palestinians were killed and over 200 wounded after Israeli forces reportedly opened fire near an aid distribution site in southern Gaza, according to witnesses and the Hamas-run civil defense agency. This incident, occurring near Khan Younis, marks potentially the deadliest in a series of almost daily shootings around aid locations in the besieged territory.

Witnesses described Israeli forces shelling and firing on crowds gathered for flour from a World Food Programme (WFP) site. A local journalist and eyewitnesses reported Israeli drones firing missiles, followed by a tank shell, causing numerous casualties.

Nasser Hospital, the main functioning medical facility in the area, is reportedly overwhelmed, with the wounded lying on the floor due to overcrowding.

The Israeli military (IDF) stated it was “aware of reports regarding a number of injured individuals from IDF fire following the crowd’s approach” and that the incident is under review. The World Health Organization (WHO) has also received reports of a mass casualty event, with a WHO trauma surgeon noting a “constant correlation” between announced food distribution sites and mass casualty incidents, largely involving gunshot wounds.

Escalating Aid-Related Violence

The latest incident underscores a dire situation where most recent casualties in Gaza are linked to aid delivery rather than direct strikes on Hamas targets. For weeks, medical staff have warned about Nasser Hospital’s critical state due to overwhelming casualties, lack of supplies, and evacuation orders.

Shooting incidents have become almost daily occurrences near aid distribution sites, including those run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which is backed by Israel and the US. While witnesses primarily report Israeli troops opening fire, there have also been reports of local armed gunmen. The IDF’s usual response has been to state that troops warned people before firing “warning shots” at “suspects” deemed a threat, offering little further detail.

International news organizations, including the BBC, are not permitted into Gaza by Israel, making independent verification challenging.

A System Under Strain

The GHF has asserted that these shootings occur away from their sites and should not be linked to their operations. However, the desperate search for limited food supplies, driven by the new distribution system, continues to draw thousands of Palestinians to these areas.

Despite an IDF directive to avoid aid sites between 6 PM and 6 AM, people often have no alternative to secure food. Verified videos from GHF sites show massive crowds rushing for food parcels with apparent lack of control, leading the organization to briefly close sites for security improvements on at least two occasions.

The broader aid delivery system, allowing approximately 100 trucks daily into Gaza, has also seen an increase in people being shot while trying to access supplies, whether from distribution points or directly from convoys. This highlights a significant breakdown in both security and the aid distribution mechanism within Gaza.

International Condemnation and Ongoing Crisis

Hamas has reiterated its stance that aid centers are becoming “death traps.” The situation is further complicated by looting among a desperate population, with criminal gangs, militias, and Hamas also operating for their own interests.

Critics view the GHF as facilitating an Israeli government plan to displace Palestinians into smaller areas of Gaza, though Israel maintains the alternative system is necessary to prevent Hamas from seizing aid.

Recently, UN human rights chief Volker Turk accused Israel of weaponizing food and called for a full investigation into the shootings. Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, lamented that “tragedies go on unabated while attention shifts elsewhere.”

As the conflict enters its 20th month since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, which killed approximately 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, over 55,297 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the territory’s health ministry. There appears to be no clear plan from Israel, the GHF, or the international community to prevent the near-daily killings of Palestinians risking their lives for food.