At least 26 Palestinians were killed and dozens injured on Sunday when Israeli forces reportedly opened fire near an aid distribution centre in southern Gaza, according to the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) and medical officials at a local hospital.
The incident took place in Rafah, where large crowds had gathered to receive food from a site operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a controversial aid group backed by Israel and the United States.
PRCS paramedics, the only medical personnel present at the scene, reported that Israeli troops opened fire as people approached the distribution centre.
The Ministry of Health in Gaza said hospitals have received 179 casualties, including 26 fatalities and 30 individuals in critical condition. It warned that patients are under severe strain in emergency rooms, operating theatres, and intensive care units.
The Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis confirmed the death toll and said over 80 people were wounded in the incident.
CNN reports that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), in response to an inquiry, stated they were “unaware of injuries caused by IDF fire within the Humanitarian Aid distribution site,” adding that the matter was under review.
GHF was established as an alternative aid delivery mechanism amid Israeli allegations that Hamas was intercepting and reselling humanitarian supplies.
The United Nations and its affiliated aid agencies have criticised its operations, arguing that it neglects established humanitarian protocols and increases risks to Palestinian civilians.
According to CNN, unlike UN-backed distribution networks, which rely on ID verification and registered family lists, the GHF does not screen recipients at its sites, even when Israel claims that added security was a key reason for the foundation’s creation.
Tensions surrounding GHF aid sites have been escalating. Last week, large crowds at two newly opened GHF locations sparked chaos, leaving 11 Palestinians dead and dozens injured, according to pre-Sunday figures from the Health Ministry.
The GHF had claimed no injuries or deaths had occurred during aid deliveries.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the GHF said it had provided more than 4.7 million meals in six days and delivered 16 truckloads of food earlier that morning, accounting for 887,000 meals.
The organisation insisted that aid was distributed “without incident” and dismissed the reported violence as “false” and “fabricated,” blaming “rumors being actively fomented by Hamas.”
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