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More than 30 Palestinians were killed and over 170 wounded Sunday near a food distribution site in Gaza, according to health officials and witnesses, who reported Israeli forces opened fire on crowds trying to collect aid. Israel's military denied that its forces fired at civilians.
The International Committee of the Red Cross said its field hospital in Rafah received 179 casualties, most with gunshot or shrapnel wounds, with 21 declared dead upon arrival. "The reality on the ground in Gaza is that for months now, civilians have had to navigate the areas affected by intense hostilities to find food and safe water for their families," the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said in a statement.
"All patients said they had been trying to reach an aid distribution site," the ICRC stated, calling it the highest number of weapon-wounded people in a single incident since the hospital's establishment over a year ago.
"The high number of dead and injured patients received in a short amount of time is indicative of the increasing danger to civilians who have already struggled to survive for almost twenty months of unimaginable hostilities. This is unacceptable," ICRC concluded by also reminding that: "International humanitarian law is clear: the rapid and unimpeded flow of humanitarian relief must be allowed and facilitated."
Multiple witnesses said thousands of Palestinians had gathered before dawn to receive food aid from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distribution site when Israeli forces opened fire around 3 a.m. near the Flag Roundabout, approximately 1 kilometer from the aid site.
"There was fire from all directions, from naval warships, from tanks and drones," said Amr Abu Teiba, who was in the crowd, to the Associated Press. He reported seeing at least 10 bodies with gunshot wounds and several wounded people, including women.
Hani Baraka, 43, said he was seeking food for his children when the shooting began. "The soldiers panicked and began firing at the crowd. My brother was shot in the head and killed instantly," he told reporters, as reported by The Guardian.
"The area was very crowded. At the start, a quadcopter drone came and gave orders, saying it was still too early to open the gates and that they would open them at 6 a.m. It seems people moved forward earlier than the time set by the army," Baraka added.
An Israeli military official, speaking anonymously, acknowledged that troops fired warning shots at "several suspects advancing toward them overnight" but denied firing at civilians near or within the distribution site.
The Israeli military released drone footage from Khan Younis showing what it said were armed, masked men firing at civilians collecting aid, though the video could not be independently verified.
"Hamas is doing everything in its power to prevent the successful distribution of food in Gaza," the Israeli military statement said.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, promoted by Israel and the United States, said it delivered aid "without incident" and released a video showing people collecting aid.
The foundation has consistently denied previous accounts of chaos and gunfire around its sites, which operate in Israeli military zones where independent media access is restricted.
Dr. Marwan al-Hams at Nasser Hospital reported chaotic scenes with dozens of bodies arriving. "Most injuries were shot in the upper parts of the body—the head, chest, and abdomen," he said. Hospital corridors were filled with patients, though medical charity MSF noted this incident primarily involved men, unlike previous incidents that mainly affected women and children.
Gaza's Health Ministry said at least 31 people were killed and over 170 wounded in the incident.
The deadly incident occurred at one of several new distribution sites established by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which began operations less than a week ago. Before Sunday, 17 people had been killed while trying to reach these sites, according to Gaza Health Ministry records.
U.N. agencies and major aid groups have refused to work with the new system, saying it violates humanitarian principles and allows Israel to control who receives aid while forcing dangerous mass displacement.
"Aid distribution has become a death trap," said Philippe Lazzarini, head of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees.
The incident highlights the desperate humanitarian situation in Gaza, where experts warn of imminent famine. Israel imposed a blockade on supplies in March, claiming Hamas was seizing deliveries for fighters, which the group denies.
A global hunger monitor recently estimated that half a million people in the strip face starvation.
The U.N. system has struggled to deliver aid after Israel slightly eased its nearly three-month blockade last month, with officials citing Israeli restrictions, breakdown of law and order, and widespread looting as major obstacles.
The deadly incident occurred as Hamas and Israel exchanged blame over faltering ceasefire negotiations. Hamas said Saturday it was seeking amendments to a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal, but Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff rejected the group's response as "totally unacceptable."
Mediators Qatar and Egypt said Sunday they continued "intensive efforts to bridge the gaps in viewpoints" and hoped for a swift agreement for a 60-day temporary ceasefire leading to a permanent cease-fire.
The war gained a new level when Hamas attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages.
Israel's military campaign has killed over 54,000 people, with most of them being civilians and children in Gaza, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, and displaced around 90% of the population.
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