At least 31 Palestinians were killed and dozens more wounded on Sunday while on their way to a food distribution site in southern Gaza, according to health officials and multiple eyewitnesses.
Witnesses said Israeli forces opened fire on the crowd approximately one kilometer from the aid distribution point, which is operated by an Israeli-backed foundation inside a military-controlled zone. The precise circumstances remain unclear.
A Palestinian, wounded in an Israeli strike, receives treatment in the Intensive Care Unit at Nasser Hospital, according to ministry of health, following an Israeli strike, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, June 1, 2025. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled
According to The Guardian, thousands had gathered in the early hours before dawn to access aid. Witnesses said Israeli forces initially instructed the crowd to disperse and return later. However, when the group reached the Flag Roundabout — about one kilometer from the site — at around 3am, Israeli forces opened fire, they claimed.
The Israeli military released a brief statement saying it was “currently unaware of injuries caused by IDF fire within the Humanitarian Aid distribution site,” adding that the incident is under review.
People mourn a Palestinian killed in Israeli strikes, at Nasser hospital, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, June 1, 2025. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled
“There were many martyrs, including women,” said Ibrahim Abu Saoud, 40, who was in the crowd. “We were about 300 meters away from the military.” He described seeing several gunshot victims, including a young man who died at the scene. “We weren’t able to help him,” he added.
Mourners pray during the funeral of Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes, at Nasser hospital, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, June 1, 2025. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled
“There was fire from all directions, from naval warships, from tanks and drones,” Amr Abu Teiba, a witness, told the Associated Press. He said he saw at least 10 bodies with gunshot wounds and multiple injured people, including women. “The scene was horrible,” he said, describing how people used carts to transport the dead and wounded to a nearby field hospital.
“Most of the casualties were shot in the upper part of their bodies, including the head, neck and chest,” said Dr. Marwan al-Hams, a health ministry official at Nasser Hospital, where many of the wounded were transferred after receiving initial treatment at a Red Cross-run field hospital, according to the AP.
The foundation responsible for the aid site stated it had delivered 16 truckloads of humanitarian assistance early Sunday “without incident,” and denied reports of chaos or casualties around its location. It also claimed that private security contractors guarding the site did not open fire on the crowds.
The Israeli military has acknowledged using warning shots in previous instances near aid distribution points.
