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**UN Reports Hundreds of Palestinian Deaths at Aid Distribution Points in Gaza**
**Geneva** – The United Nations human rights office (OHCHR) has reported that at least 613 Palestinians have been killed at or near aid distribution points in Gaza as of June 27, with more incidents occurring since. A significant number of these deaths, 509, occurred near sites operated by the Israeli and United States-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the OHCHR, shared the grim figures with reporters in Geneva, emphasizing that the count continues to rise. The Gaza Health Ministry estimates the death toll to be higher, exceeding 650, with over 4,000 wounded.
The GHF, which began distributing limited food packages in Gaza in late May, has faced criticism for its aid delivery model. The UN has stated the GHF’s model is “neither impartial nor neutral,” and rights groups have condemned the organization’s sites as “human slaughterhouses.”
Mahmoud Basal, a civil defense spokesperson in Gaza, alleged that civilians were “deliberately killed by the Israeli military” at these aid centers. He cited instances of sniper fire, drone strikes, and air raids targeting families seeking aid.
Medical sources in Gaza report that Israeli forces have killed dozens of Palestinians since Friday. In Khan Younis, at least 15 Palestinians were killed in attacks on makeshift tents in the al-Mawasi area, previously designated a “humanitarian safe zone” by Israel. The Israeli army has also issued new forced displacement orders for parts of Khan Younis, including the area around Nasser Hospital.
A Gaza mother, whose son was killed seeking food, described the GHF’s distribution centers as “death traps” and lamented the desperation driving people to risk their lives for sustenance.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis is operating as “one massive trauma ward” due to the influx of patients injured near GHF sites. Medical staff have reported treating numerous injuries stemming from people trying to access aid.
The UN, humanitarian organizations, and NGOs have repeatedly condemned the GHF’s handling of aid distribution and the violence surrounding its sites. Over 130 organizations, including Oxfam and Amnesty International, have called for the immediate closure of the GHF, accusing it of facilitating attacks on starving Palestinians by Israeli forces and armed groups who “routinely” open fire on civilians seeking food.
UNRWA, which previously managed aid distribution, has called for investigations into the killings and injuries of Palestinians at GHF sites, noting the disparity between its widespread operations and the GHF’s limited “mega-sites” concentrated in specific areas.
The GHF has denied responsibility for the incidents, despite reports of its staff firing indiscriminately at Palestinians. A report from Israeli outlet Haaretz detailed Israeli soldiers confirming that Israeli troops have deliberately shot at unarmed Palestinians seeking aid in Gaza after being “ordered” to do so by their commanders.
Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza, triggered by the October 7th attacks by Hamas, has resulted in a devastating humanitarian crisis, with over 57,000 Palestinian deaths, widespread displacement, and severe food shortages.
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