At least 27 Palestinians were killed and dozens injured after an Israeli strike hit a humanitarian aid center in Rafah, southern Gaza. The attack targeted civilians waiting for aid near the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a facility backed by the U.S. and Israel, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry and Al Jazeera.
The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called for an independent investigation into repeated shootings at aid seekers in Gaza since May 27—the same day the GHF began operations. Guterres expressed concern over the rising death toll and the use of deadly force against unarmed civilians.
In response, the Israeli military admitted to opening fire near the aid center, claiming their troops fired warning shots at “suspicious individuals” approaching from unauthorized areas. When they did not retreat, further shots were fired. The military stated that investigations into civilian casualties are underway.
Palestinian resistance group Mujahideen Movement condemned the strike as a “massacre of the hungry” and labeled it an “American-Zionist crime.” In a statement on Telegram, the group denounced the ongoing blockade, starvation policies, and global silence, calling the aid zones a “death trap” for desperate civilians.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than 54,381 Palestinians have been killed and over 124,000 injured since the war began. The conflict escalated after the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel, which killed 1,139 people and resulted in over 200 hostages. Amid worsening humanitarian conditions, critics are calling U.S.-backed aid efforts ineffective and even dangerous.