At least 32 Palestinians were killed on Saturday when Israeli forces opened fire near food distribution points in southern Gaza, according to local health officials and eyewitnesses. The incident, one of the deadliest in recent weeks, highlights the increasingly dire conditions for civilians trapped between war and starvation.
The violence unfolded near aid centers operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF)—a U.S. and Israeli-backed relief initiative established in May as an alternative to the traditional UN system, which Israel has accused of being compromised by Hamas. The United Nations has denied these claims.
While GHF says it has successfully delivered millions of meals, Palestinian accounts tell a different story: civilians being shot as they approach food lines. Witnesses and medical workers say Saturday’s death toll included women and children, and that hundreds more have died or been injured in similar incidents near aid hubs located in military-controlled zones.
“They Only Shoot Us”
In Teina, a village near Khan Younis, Mahmoud Mokeimar was among a group walking toward a GHF center when gunfire erupted. “The occupation opened fire at us indiscriminately,” he told the Associated Press. “I saw at least three people lying motionless and many others wounded trying to run.”
Akram Aker, another survivor, said Israeli troops fired from tanks and drones between 5 and 6 a.m.—before GHF’s stated 6 a.m. opening time. “They encircled us and started firing directly at us,” he said. “I saw many people lying on the ground, bleeding.”
Sanaa al-Jaberi recalled the panic. “People broke into a run, and they shot at us,” she said, clutching an empty bag meant for food. “Is this food or death? Why? They don’t talk with us. They only shoot us.”
Israeli Response and GHF Denial
The Israeli military said it had fired only “warning shots” after a group approached soldiers near Rafah during nighttime hours when aid centers were closed. GHF echoed this, stating that “no incidents occurred at our sites” and warned civilians not to approach hubs overnight or in early morning hours due to ongoing military operations.
Despite these claims, local hospitals paint a grim picture.
Hospitals Overwhelmed, Supplies Depleted
Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis reported receiving 25 bodies and treating 70 wounded, many with gunshot wounds to the head and chest. Another seven were killed near a separate aid site in Shakoush, including a woman, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Dr. Mohamed Saker, head of nursing at Nasser, said medical supplies were so limited that some patients, including children, were treated on the floor. One young boy was seen holding up a blood bag for another wounded person lying on a stretcher.
“We’re running out of everything,” Dr. Saker said. “People are dying not just from bullets, but from the collapse of the entire health system.”
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
The deadly chaos around food distribution sites underscores the worsening humanitarian disaster in Gaza, where food, medicine, and clean water remain scarce. For many, aid centers are a last lifeline—one now increasingly laced with danger.
As al-Jaberi’s question echoes across the rubble—“Is this food or death?”—it captures the tragic choices facing thousands of Palestinians every day.
