No fewer than 36 Palestinians were killed by Israeli gunfire early Saturday while approaching an aid distribution point in southern Gaza, according to the Gaza Health Ministry and medical officials at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that troops opened fire near the site but stated that only warning shots were fired after verbal warnings were ignored. According to the military, the individuals were approximately one kilometre from an inactive humanitarian aid facility at the time of the shooting.
However, eyewitness accounts challenge the Israeli narrative. Mohammed al-Khalidi, a Gaza resident present at the scene, described a sudden escalation. “We thought they came out to organise us so we can get aid,” he said. “Suddenly, jeeps came from one side and tanks from the other, and they started shooting at us.”
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a foreign-backed organisation operating outside the UN aid framework, clarified that there were no casualties at its operational sites on Saturday. The GHF reiterated its standing warning against approaching aid locations during non-operational hours.
“The reported IDF activity occurred hours before our distribution sites opened,” a GHF spokesperson said, adding that most casualties were several kilometres away from the nearest GHF facility.
The Israeli military has launched a formal review into the incident. It comes amid growing scrutiny over its conduct near humanitarian corridors. The United Nations Human Rights Office in Geneva recently reported that at least 875 people have died in or near aid sites in Gaza over the past six weeks, with the majority of casualties reportedly caused by Israeli fire near GHF-associated locations.
Israel continued to accuse Hamas of exploiting the aid system to divert supplies, a claim Hamas denies. GHF, which uses private American logistics firms for operations, has been criticised by international observers for operating independently of the UN and allegedly compromising humanitarian neutrality.
Meanwhile, in other parts of Gaza, Israeli airstrikes reportedly killed at least 50 people on Saturday, including the Hamas-run police chief in Nuseirat and 11 members of his family. The Israeli military said it was targeting militant stockpiles and sniper positions across the enclave.
The conflict, now in its tenth month, began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants launched a deadly cross-border attack on Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. In response, Israel launched a full-scale military campaign that, according to Gaza health authorities, has killed around 58,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians and displaced nearly the entire population.
Efforts to reach a ceasefire continue in Doha, where negotiators from Egypt and Qatar are attempting to broker a U.S.-backed 60-day truce and hostage exchange. As of now, 50 hostages remain in Gaza, with at least 20 believed to be alive.
Speaking in Tel Aviv, Einav Zangauker, the mother of hostage Matan Zangauker, urged swift action. “An entire people wants to bring all 50 hostages home and end the war. My Matan is alone in the tunnels. He has no more time,” she said outside Israel’s defense headquarters.
The IDF has acknowledged civilian harm in recent operations and claims new operational guidelines have been issued to minimize future casualties.
