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At least 798 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since late May while searching for food at aid distribution points operated by the U.S.- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) and other humanitarian convoys, the United Nations said Thursday.
U.N. Human Rights Office spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani told reporters in Geneva that “by 7 July, we had documented 798 killings—615 around GHF-controlled areas and 183 likely along the routes of aid convoys.”
The GHF, presented by Israel as an alternative to the U.N. aid system in Gaza, has been condemned by rights groups for allegedly violating humanitarian neutrality and potentially being complicit in war crimes.
Israel began supporting the foundation after accusing Hamas of diverting aid from the U.N.-led system. The U.N. has said there is no evidence to support this claim. The private foundation employs U.S. security contractors to oversee four food distribution sites.
GHF rejected the U.N. figures as “false and misleading,” denying that any fatal incidents occurred in its designated areas.
“The truth is, the deadliest attacks on aid recipients have been linked to UN convoys,” a GHF spokesperson said.
Since GHF began operations in early May, Palestinians queuing for food have reportedly been shot almost daily. Civilians seeking aid are required to follow complex instructions and walk long distances to reach the designated food sites.
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