KHAN YOUNIS — At least 24 Palestinians were killed and dozens more wounded on Tuesday when Israeli forces opened fire near a food distribution site in the southern Gaza Strip, according to local health officials.
Casualties were taken to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis following the incident, which occurred near a humanitarian aid hub in Rafah, where displaced residents had gathered amid a deepening humanitarian crisis.
The Israeli military acknowledged that its forces had opened fire, saying troops targeted a group of individuals who had strayed from designated access routes near the aid site. It added that an investigation into the incident was underway.
The shooting came hours after Israel reported that three of its soldiers were killed during fighting in northern Gaza, where Israeli forces have continued their offensive against Hamas militants nearly eight months into the war.
The reports of casualties in Rafah could not be independently verified. But the deaths are the latest in a string of fatal incidents in recent days involving Palestinians seeking food and basic supplies.
On Sunday, at least 31 people were killed and dozens wounded in similar circumstances near Rafah, according to Palestinian and international officials. The following day, three additional deaths were reported. The Israeli military has denied targeting civilians at aid sites, dismissing Sunday’s reports as “fabrications” by Hamas.
On Tuesday, the Israel Defense Forces said its troops had identified “a number of suspects” approaching them and deviating from approved paths. “The forces fired evasive shots, and after they did not move away, additional shots were fired near the individual suspects,” the military said.
The violence has cast renewed scrutiny on aid efforts in Gaza, where most of the population has been displaced and faces acute food shortages. The U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation launched its first distribution sites last week, bypassing traditional aid groups. The organization, endorsed by Israel, reported that 21 truckloads of food were delivered on Tuesday “safely and without incident.”
However, the initiative has drawn criticism from the United Nations and established relief organizations, who argue that it fails to meet internationally recognized humanitarian standards.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said Monday he was “appalled” by the recent deaths and called for an independent investigation into the incidents involving civilians seeking aid.
Israel’s campaign in Gaza began after Hamas-led fighters killed approximately 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostages in a cross-border attack on Oct. 7, 2023. Since then, more than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes and ground operations, according to Gaza health authorities.
