The Gaza Health ministry has made a serious allegation, stating that the Israeli military killed 32 people near an aid distribution site on Saturday. [8] This is the latest deadly incident in a series of similar events that have caused international alarm.
This recent tragedy contributes to grim statistics compiled by the United Nations. U.N. figures are showing a pattern of increasing casualties, with more than 670 Palestinians killed since May near locations established under a new, controversial Israel-backed aid system. [15]
The Israeli military offered a different account, stating it fired warning shots at suspects who were approaching its troops and failed to heed calls to stop. [16] They noted the event occurred about a kilometer from the aid site, which was not active at the time. [8, 16] However, a witness contradicted this, claiming there were no warnings before the shooting began. [8]
This new aid distribution model, which involves private companies and largely bypasses the U.N., has been criticized by humanitarian organizations as unsafe. [8, 19] The repeated loss of life at these sites raises profound questions about the protection of civilians seeking life-sustaining assistance amid a devastating conflict.
The United Nations human rights office has documented hundreds of killings in the vicinity of these aid sites and has called for independent and transparent investigations into all such incidents. [7, 15] The recurring violence underscores the perilous conditions for civilians in Gaza and the challenges of delivering humanitarian aid safely.