UN condemns Gaza aid 'death trap' as dozens reported killed by Israeli fire

 At least 46 people waiting for aid have been killed by Israeli fire in two incidents in central and southern Gaza, according to rescuers and hospitals.

UN agencies have condemned the US and Israel-backed food distribution system, with one official calling it "an abomination" and "a death trap".

Such deadly incidents have recently become a near daily occurrence but have attracted relatively little attention outside Gaza since Israel attacked Iran more than a week ago.

Without including the latest deaths, the UN has said that more than 410 Palestinians are reported to have been killed by Israeli gunfire or shelling since the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) began work in late May.

Footage from al-Awda hospital in Nuseirat showed chaotic scenes as young men with gunshot wounds were carried in, groaning in pain and some drenched in blood.

Soon every bed was filled, and casualties covered the floor.

An older man was set down dead as his wife, bereft, cradled his face and wept.

Hospital officials and the Hamas-run Civil Defence agency said that at least 21 people were killed and some 150 injured.

Witnesses said that thousands had crowded near a site run by the GHF in an Israeli military zone when soldiers opened fire.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said a gathering had been "identified in an area adjacent to IDF troops operating in the Netzarim corridor".

"Reports of injured individuals as a result of IDF fire in the area were received. The details are under review," it stated.

The GHF said there were "no incidents near any of our sites this morning".

Paramedics and rescuers said that at least 25 people were also killed near a site run by the GHF in southern Gaza on Tuesday morning.

A witness told the BBC that he had gone to a site north of Rafah at 05:00, but shortly before it was due to open at 10:00, Israeli tanks advanced towards them and opened fire with no announcements.

"The shooting was directly on the civilians and blood got everywhere," Hatem Abu Rjileh said.

"Everyone around us got wounded, there may be more than 30 wounded whom no-one was able to rescue. We only managed to rescue our relative and left with him."

The IDF told the BBC that "contrary to the reports being spread out, the IDF is not aware of the incident in question at the Rafah aid distribution site".

Israel eased its total blockade of Gaza just over a month ago, and the GHF began operations a few days later. The group says it has since provided 41 million meals.

While GHF is officially classed as a private organisation, it has opaque funding and is backed by the US and Israel. It uses armed private security contractors.

The UN and major aid groups have refused to co-operate with the foundation, accusing it of co-operating with Israel's goals in the 20-month-old war against Hamas in a way that violates humanitarian principles.

However, Israel sees the GHF as key to a new aid plan which it says will undermine what remains of Hamas control in Gaza.

Reuters

People desperate for aid have also taken to gathering along aid convoy routes

As news of the latest incidents broke, a spokesman for the UN human rights office, Thameen al-Kheetan, held a briefing in Geneva condemning the system.

"Israel's militarised humanitarian assistance mechanism is in contradiction with international standards on aid distribution," he said.

"The weaponization of food for civilians, in addition to restricting or preventing their access to life-sustaining services constitutes a war crime."

He added that it was for courts to decide if war crimes had been committed.

Speaking to reporters in Berlin, Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa), said: "The newly created, so-called mechanism is an abomination that humiliates and degrades desperate people. It is a death trap costing more lives than it saves."

Asked for a response to recent UN criticism, the IDF told the BBC that it allowed the GHF "to operate independently in distributing aid to the residents of Gaza and is working to ensure its safe and continuous distribution, in accordance with international law".

Reuters

More than 410 Palestinians are reported to have been killed by Israeli gunfire or shelling while trying to reach aid distribution points since late May

Israel's idea for a new phase of war in Gaza, put forward several weeks ago, has not taken place.

This involved the GHF running the only aid distribution points.

For now, Israel is still allowing dozens of lorries carrying aid for the UN and some other aid organisations into Gaza.

On Saturday, World Central Kitchen said aid lorries had reached its teams in Gaza for the first time in over 12 weeks, allowing it to restart cooking at some of its sites.

However, the volume of food is still inadequate, and experts warn that Gaza remains on the brink of famine.

In Gaza City, a father of four daughters told us that his family had resorted to eating bread and salt but that he would not risk his life to go to the GHF aid centres.

"They are called death zones," Mahmoud al-Ghura said. "My son has already been martyred."

"I am afraid that if I went to get a bag of flour I would return carried in one. Every day people go there and die. What are we to do?"

Major incidents near aid centres in Gaza

Hundreds have been reported killed near aid distribution sites in Gaza in recent weeks

Gaza Health Foundation begins operations

Monday 26 May

The controversial, US-backed GHF aims to bypass the UN as the main distributor of aid in Gaza after an 11-week blockade by Israeli forces. Aid groups and the UN say the GHF's plans contradict humanitarian principles and "weaponise aid".

1 killed, 48 wounded

Wednesday 28 May

Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry says one person was killed and 48 others wounded at an aid centre. A senior UN official says most of the injuries were due to shooting from Israeli forces. The IDF says it fired "warning shots” but not towards people.

31 killed, 200+ wounded

Sunday 1 June

Gaza's health ministry says 31 killed after Israeli tanks open fire at an aid centre near Rafah. Doctors say around 200 people arrived at hospital with gunshot and shrapnel injuries. The GHF says the reports are "fabricated", the IDF calls them "false".

27 killed, 37 wounded

Tuesday 3 June

Gaza's Hamas-run civil defence agency says Israeli tanks, quadcopter drones and helicopters opened fire on civilians near an aid site, killing 27. Thirty seven arrived at a local hospital with gunshot injuries, according to the hospital director. The IDF says troops fired shots at suspects "deviating from designated access routes".

6 killed, several wounded

Saturday 7 June

The civil defence agency says six Palestinians were killed and several others wounded by Israeli gunfire near an aid centre. The Israeli military says it fired warning shots at suspects who approached them in a threatening manner.

4 killed

Sunday 8 June

Health workers say four Palestinians were killed by Israeli gunfire while heading to an aid distribution centre. The IDF says it fired warning shots at a group it deemed to be a threat.

6 killed, 99 injured

Monday 9 June

Gaza's health ministry says six people were killed and 99 injured near aid distribution centres. Witnesses say Palestinian gunmen opened fire, as well as Israeli forces. The IDF tells the BBC it is looking into the reports.

57 killed, 200+ injured

Wednesday 11 June

Gaza's health ministry says 57 people were killed near the Rafah aid distribution centre, and local hospitals say more than 200 were injured. The civil defence agency says Israeli forces opened fire, amid reports some were crushed by lorries or shot by Palestinians. The Israeli military says it is looking into the reports from Rafah.

21 killed, nearly 300 injured

Thursday 12 June

The Gaza ministry of health reports 21 killed at aid distribution sites and nearly 300 injured. The IDF tells the BBC troops fired warning shots at a gathering which “posed a threat”, but it disputes the number of casualties.

15 killed

Saturday 14 June

At least 15 Palestinians are killed by Israeli fire as they gather near an aid distribution centre in central Gaza, hospitals say. The Israeli military says troops fired warning shots at a group they believed posed a potential threat. The GHF says it did not distribute aid on 14 June.

26 killed, 117 injured

Sunday 15 June

The Gaza health ministry reports 26 people killed at aid distribution sites and 117 injured in a 24-hour period. The civil defence agency said 16 people were killed and 50 injured by Israeli forces. The IDF says it is not aware of gunshots at one site and looking into events at another.

30+ killed

Monday 16 June

At least 30 Palestinians are killed by Israeli gunfire near aid distribution sites operated by the GHF, the Gaza health ministry says. The IDF tells the BBC its troops fired warning shots at suspects approaching them and posing a threat.

51 killed

Tuesday 17 June

Israeli forces kill more than 51 Palestinians and wound many more after opening fire near an aid distribution site in southern Gaza, witnesses and rescuers say. The Israeli military tells the BBC it is looking into the reports.

11 killed

Wednesday 18 June

Eleven Palestinians seeking aid are killed by Israeli gunfire and shelling, rescuers and medics say. The Israeli military said troops fired warning shots after a group approached them in a manner that posed a potential threat, but that it was unaware of any injuries.

At least 12 killed, 60 injured

Thursday 19 June

At least 12 people are killed by Israeli forces while waiting for aid in central Gaza, rescuers say, and a civil defence official reports another 60 were injured. Israeli forces have not commented.

23 killed, 100+ wounded

Friday 20 June

Israeli tanks and drones kill 23 Palestinians after opening fire on crowds who had gathered near an aid distribution site, witnesses and medics say. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.

8 killed

Saturday 21 June

The civil defence agency says eight people are killed near aid distribution sites, with witnesses reporting injuries caused by drones and tank rounds. The IDF says troops fired warning after “suspects” approached in a manner which endangered troops, but it is not aware of any injuries.

At least 46 killed, dozens injured

Tuesday 24 June

At least 46 people waiting for aid are killed by Israeli fire and 150 injured in two incidents in central and southern Gaza, according to rescuers and hospitals. The IDF says it will review details of reports, the GHF denies incidents at its sites.