Israeli tank shellfire killed at least 51 Palestinians and wounded over 200 more on Tuesday as they awaited food aid along a main road in Khan Younis, according to Gaza’s health ministry. Medics at the scene reported that Israeli tanks fired at crowds gathered near aid trucks, with at least 20 of the wounded in critical condition.
The shelling, which has not yet been addressed publicly by the Israeli military, is the latest in a series of deadly incidents involving Palestinians seeking humanitarian aid. Witnesses said two tank shells were fired into a crowd of thousands waiting for food. At Nasser Hospital, where the wounded were taken, medical staff were forced to treat patients on the ground and in corridors due to overcrowding.
On Monday, at least 23 Palestinians were killed by Israeli gunfire while approaching a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid distribution point in Rafah, according to local health officials. The Israeli military has not commented on that incident either. In past cases, the army has admitted to opening fire near aid areas, often attributing violence to militant provocation.
Palestinians gather to receive aid supplies in Beit Lahia, in the northern Gaza Strip, June 16, 2025. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
As reported in Reuters, the U.S.-backed GHF said in a press release that it has distributed more than three million meals across four locations in Gaza without incident. Humanitarian officials, including the United Nations, have criticized Israel’s reliance on GHF for distributing aid, calling the system dangerous and insufficient. The UN says the model undermines humanitarian neutrality and leaves civilians exposed to violence.
WHO Confirms Link to Food Distribution Sites
World Health Organization emergency officer Thanos Gargavanis confirmed that Tuesday’s deaths were linked to another food distribution event. “There’s a constant correlation with the positions of the four announced food distribution sites and the mass casualty incidents,” he said, noting that many of the recent injuries were caused by gunfire.
SENSITIVE MATERIAL. THIS IMAGE MAY OFFEND OR DISTURB Palestinians react next to people wounded in an Israeli strike while waiting for aid, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, at Nasser hospital, in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, June 17, 2025. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
The broader humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to deepen. Nearly half a million people face starvation, according to recent global hunger monitors. Although Israel has recently eased its total blockade on the strip, aid groups say the current flow of supplies remains far below what is needed. The WHO also warned it is running dangerously low on therapeutic feeding formulas used to treat malnutrition.
The war has drawn international scrutiny, including accusations of genocide and war crimes at the International Court of Justice and International Criminal Court — charges Israel strongly denies.
Regional Tensions Escalate
Meanwhile, tensions have spilled beyond Gaza. As Israeli-Iranian hostilities escalated following strikes launched by both sides last week, some in Gaza expressed hope that outside intervention could pressure Israel to halt its campaign. “We are very happy that we saw the day when we saw rubble in Tel Aviv,” said one Gaza resident, Saad Saad.
Despite diplomatic efforts from the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar, no breakthrough on a ceasefire has been achieved. Both Hamas and Israel have stood firm on their core demands, with each side blaming the other for the lack of agreement.
As humanitarian conditions deteriorate and shelling near aid sites becomes increasingly common, international agencies continue to sound alarms about the growing scale of the crisis and the risks facing Palestinians just trying to access food.
