At least 27 Palestinians killed near Gaza aid site

At least 27 Palestinians were killed and dozens more injured by Israeli gunfire near a food distribution site in southern Gaza on Tuesday, according to health officials. 

This marked the third consecutive day of violence disrupting aid efforts in the area.

The Israeli military stated that its forces had fired at individuals who left designated access routes near the Rafah distribution center and moved toward their positions. The incident is under investigation, the military added.

Earlier in the day, Israel reported the deaths of three soldiers in northern Gaza amid ongoing military operations against Hamas, which have devastated large parts of the enclave over several months. Reuters was unable to independently verify events in either northern or southern Gaza.

A spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross told Reuters their field hospital in Rafah had received 184 casualties. Of these, 19 people were pronounced dead on arrival, and eight more died from their injuries shortly after.

Footage showed wounded individuals—including at least one woman—being transported to medical facilities on donkey carts, then moved onto stretchers or into ambulances.

The U.N. human rights office in Geneva condemned the obstruction of food aid access, warning it could amount to a war crime. Describing the targeting of civilians seeking aid as "unconscionable," U.N. human rights chief Volker Turk called for a swift and impartial investigation. "Attacks directed against civilians constitute a grave breach of international law, and a war crime," he said.

The U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation began distributing food last week, aiming to relieve severe hunger across Gaza’s displaced population. However, the group has faced criticism from the U.N. and other aid organizations for bypassing established humanitarian protocols.

On Tuesday, the Foundation stated it had delivered 21 truckloads of food and that the reported shooting took place outside its controlled distribution zone. "This occurred beyond our secure area. We urge civilians to remain within safe corridors en route to our sites," the group said.

Palestinians receiving aid described scenes of disorder, with no oversight or identification checks. "It's chaos and degrading, but people are desperate—there’s no food left in Gaza," said one unnamed man who said he narrowly survived the gunfire.

Escalating Violence and Evacuations

Reports have emerged of repeated deadly incidents over the past three days near Rafah as people gather early to access aid. On Sunday, officials said at least 31 people were killed; three more reportedly died on Monday. The Israeli military denies intentionally targeting civilians and dismissed Sunday’s reported deaths as "fabrications" by Hamas.

On Tuesday, the military claimed its forces had seen "several suspects" approaching from outside designated access paths. After firing warning shots and receiving no response, troops fired additional rounds near those advancing.

That night, Israeli forces issued new evacuation orders in parts of Khan Younis, warning of aggressive action against militants. Civilians were told to move west toward the Mawasi area, which Israel designates as humanitarian. However, both Palestinian and U.N. officials assert there are no truly safe zones in Gaza, where roughly 2.3 million residents are now internally displaced.

Gaza’s health ministry warned the new evacuations could disrupt operations at Nasser Hospital, the largest remaining medical facility in the south, jeopardizing patient care.

Israel launched its offensive following the October 7, 2023 attack, during which Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people and captured 251 hostages, according to Israeli sources. Since then, over 54,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to local health officials.

Efforts to negotiate a ceasefire appear to have reached a standstill. Israel has agreed to a temporary U.S.-mediated truce aimed at freeing hostages, while Hamas is demanding a permanent ceasefire and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.