At least 20 more Palestinians killed, 200 wounded near aid site in Rafah: medics

Thomson Reuters

· Posted: Jun 16, 2025 10:20 AM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours ago

Israeli occurrence killed astatine slightest 40 radical connected Monday, fractional of them adjacent an assistance organisation tract operated by the U.S. backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the territory's wellness ministry said, arsenic UN officials denounced Israeli-backed assistance transportation methods.

Medics said astatine slightest 20 radical were killed and 200 others wounded adjacent an assistance organisation tract successful Rafah, the latest successful regular wide shootings that person killed hundreds of Palestinians trying to scope nutrient since Israel imposed a caller organisation strategy aft partially lifting a astir three-month full blockade.

Israel has enactment work for distributing overmuch of the assistance it allows into Gaza in the hands of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which operates 3 sites successful areas guarded by Israeli troops. The United Nations has rejected the plan, saying GHF organisation is inadequate, unsafe and violates humanitarian impartiality principles.

There was nary contiguous remark from the Israeli subject astir Monday's reports of shootings. In erstwhile incidents, it has occasionally acknowledged troops opening occurrence adjacent assistance sites, portion blaming militants for provoking the violence.

Relatives arrived astatine Nasser Hospital to mourn the dead. Women and children wept beside bodies wrapped successful achromatic shrouds.

"We went determination reasoning we would get assistance to provender our children, but it turned retired to beryllium a trap, a killing. I counsel everyone: don't spell there," said Ahmed Fayad, 1 of those who tried to scope assistance connected Monday.

'Lethal organisation system'

Philippe Lazzarini, the caput of the United Nations Palestinian refugees bureau UNRWA, said successful a station connected X: "Scores of radical person been killed & injured successful the past days, including of starving radical trying to get immoderate nutrient from a lethal organisation system."

Before the caller strategy was acceptable up, assistance had been distributed to Gaza's 2.3 cardinal residents chiefly by UN agencies specified arsenic UNRWA, which employment thousands of unit inside Gaza and run hundreds of sites crossed the breadth of the enclave.

Israel says it has had to ace down connected organisation due to the fact that Hamas fighters were diverting nutrient aid. The militants contradict this and accidental Israel is utilizing hunger arsenic a weapon.

Lazzarini said Israel had not lifted restrictions connected UN agencies including UNRWA bringing successful aid, contempt an abundance of assistance acceptable to beryllium moved into the enclave.

On Sunday, COGAT, the Israeli subject assistance co-ordination agency, said that this week it had facilitated the introduction of 292 trucks with humanitarian assistance from the United Nations and the planetary community, including nutrient and flour, into Gaza.

It said the Israeli subject would proceed to licence the introduction of humanitarian assistance portion ensuring it did not scope Hamas.

At slightest 300 killed since sites opened

Before Monday's incident, Gaza's Health Ministry said that astatine slightest 300 radical had truthful acold been killed, and much than 2,600 wounded, adjacent assistance organisation sites since the GHF began operations.

In Geneva, Volker Turk, UN rights chief, told the UN Human Rights Council connected Monday that Israel had "weaponized" nutrient in Gaza. He repeated a telephone for investigations into deadly attacks adjacent the GHF organisation sites.

"Israel's means and methods of warfare are inflicting horrifying, unconscionable suffering connected Palestinians in Gaza," said Turk.

"Disturbing, dehumanizing rhetoric from elder Israeli authorities officials is reminiscent of the gravest of crimes," helium added.

EARLIER | Aid sites adjacent implicit information concerns: 

On Sunday, astatine slightest 5 radical were killed arsenic thousands of Palestinians approached 2 GHF organisation sites successful the cardinal and confederate the enclave.

The GHF said successful a connection that it resumed nutrient deliveries connected Sunday, distributing much than 2 cardinal meals from its 3 organisation sites without incident.

The warfare in Gaza erupted 20 months agone aft Hamas-led militants raided Israel and took 251 hostages and killed 1,200 people, astir of them civilians, connected Oct.7, 2023.

Israel's subject run since has killed astir 55,000 Palestinians, astir of them civilians, according to wellness authorities in Gaza, and flattened overmuch of the densely populated strip. Most of the colonisation is displaced, and wide malnutrition is simply a important concern.