On June 16, 2025, reports emerged of at least 20 Palestinians killed in shootings at food distribution centers in southern Gaza, according to the Health Ministry.
These individuals were among those attempting to reach the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), supported by the United States and Israel. The Gaza civil defense agency indicated that numerous Palestinians have died while trying to access aid from GHF, which the United Nations has deemed ineffective and aligned with Israeli military objectives.
Incidents of violence have been frequently reported as Palestinians navigate through areas controlled by Israel to reach GHF aid centers. As of now, there has been no official response from Israel regarding the Monday incident. In prior situations, the Israeli military has claimed to have issued warning shots to deter individuals approaching their positions.
Access to media in the Gaza Strip is severely restricted, limiting news agencies’ ability to independently verify casualty counts. The UN’s OCHA humanitarian agency has raised alarms about the risk of famine affecting the entire population of Gaza, which numbers around 2 million. This follows mounting international pressure on Israel to facilitate increased aid deliveries to the enclave.
Since resuming airstrikes on Gaza in March, over 5,000 fatalities have been reported. Israel also implemented a two-month blockade on aid, asserting that supplies were benefiting Hamas militants, who govern the territory. The situation has been further exacerbated, with more than 55,000 people reported killed in Gaza since the October 7 Hamas terror attacks that precipitated the current conflict.