Since late May, Israel has required international aid to Gaza to be distributed exclusively through three Israeli-backed, US-operated sites managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). This change followed Israel’s accusations that Hamas militants were diverting supplies from United Nations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Under the new system, aid trucks unload food and water at fortified GHF centres in Rafah, Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah, guarded by Israeli troops. UN agencies, including the World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), have been blocked from direct distribution, citing security concerns.
The shift sparked immediate controversy. The UN warned that centralising aid in a handful of locations would overwhelm desperate populations and expose aid recipients to violence. Despite these warnings, GHF resumed deliveries on Sunday, claiming to have distributed over three million meals without incident. Within days, however, deadly exchanges of gunfire at the Rafah site have once again highlighted the perils of the new system.
Eyewitness Accounts of Sniper Fire at Rafah Site
On Monday morning, crowds gathered along Al-Furqan Street in eastern Rafah, waiting for the GHF distribution to begin. Among them was 28-year-old Jamal Abu Sayed, who recounted seeing Israeli drones hover overhead before a burst of gunfire rang out.
“A quadcopter flew low, then there were shots from the rooftops,” he said. “People screamed and ran. My cousin Hassan fell, shot through the head. I dragged him under a car for shelter, but it was too late.”
Local medics at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis say they received at least 23 bodies—some children among them—and treated over 200 wounded. Dr. Ahmed Alfara, who worked through the night, described the injuries as overwhelmingly gunshot wounds to the head and chest. “This was not crowd control,” he said. “These were precision strikes, likely from snipers. We saw exit wounds that suggest large-calibre ammunition.” Photos shared by hospital staff showed bodies wrapped in white burial shrouds, reflecting the rapid, horrific toll of the violence.
Video footage smuggled out of Gaza captures panicked scenes: a father clutching his bleeding daughter, women wailing beside overturned crates of food. Aid workers and bystanders hid behind concrete barriers as gunshots rang out, several describing fire coming from multiple directions. One witness, Fatima al-Najjar, said she saw Israeli soldiers shoot at people climbing a fence to reach the waiting trucks.
Israel’s Military Response and Claims of Provocation
The Israeli military has not publicly confirmed the use of snipers but acknowledged opening fire near the Rafah site. In previous incidents, Israeli spokespeople have attributed violence at aid distribution points to Hamas gunmen operating among the crowds. A military statement issued Tuesday contended that “armed militants fired on IDF forces after attempting to breach the security perimeter.” The statement claimed that troops acted in self-defence, firing warning shots before engaging targets.
However, no evidence has been presented to substantiate the presence of militants among the shopping crowds. UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini dismissed the claim, stating on social media that “no armed confrontations took place at the distribution site; civilians were targeted as they waited for essential food relief.” Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have called for an independent investigation, accusing Israel of “using excessive, lethal force against unarmed civilians.”
Humanitarian Impact and Local Outrage
The shootings have intensified an already dire humanitarian crisis. Gaza’s 2.3 million population is overwhelmingly displaced, with over 80 percent living in tents or makeshift shelters. Malnutrition rates have soared; the UN estimates that one in four children is acutely food-insecure.
Local aid groups warned that centralising distribution at fortified sites pushes the most vulnerable to risk. “People walk miles under bombardment just to reach these centres,” said Youssef Hanna of the Gaza Red Crescent. “When the aid is so scarce, everyone comes at once. There is no crowd management, no safe queue – just desperation.”
Following Monday’s massacre, many in Rafah vowed to avoid the GHF centres. “I advise no one to go,” said Ahmed Fayad, who lost two cousins in the firing. “It’s a trap. They kill you for trying to feed your family.” Some families have begun sharing meagre rations in their neighbourhoods rather than risk the journey to central points.
UN and NGO Appeals to Restore Conventional Aid Mechanisms
The UN and leading NGOs have repeatedly condemned the GHF scheme as “illicit” and urged Israel to reopen hundreds of previously used distribution sites across Gaza. UN rights chief Volker Türk decried the new system at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, declaring that Israel had “weaponised food” and must face accountability for “horrific attacks” on aid-seekers.
The head of the WFP, Cindy McCain, warned that without immediate resumption of multi-agency distribution, Gaza faces “catastrophic famine.” International donors have withheld new funding pending clarity on distribution safeguards. Several aid organisations suspended operations entirely rather than expose staff and beneficiaries to gunfire.
A Global Outcry and Calls for Investigation
In capitals worldwide, diplomats condemned the violence. The European Union’s foreign affairs spokesperson Josep Borrell called for “urgent de-escalation” and reinstatement of UN-led aid channels. The United States expressed deep concern, with State Department spokesman Matthew Miller stating, “We are troubled by the reports of excessive force and loss of civilian life. We urge Israel to facilitate safe and impartial humanitarian relief.”
Human Rights Watch has submitted evidence to the International Criminal Court (ICC), arguing that repeated lethal targeting of displaced civilians gathering for aid may constitute war crimes. Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry claims that 300 people have been killed at distribution sites since the GHF began operations. The ICC has opened a preliminary examination into alleged crimes during the Gaza conflict but has yet to comment on the latest attacks.
Militant Denials and the Broader Conflict Context
Hamas leaders have denied any diversion of food aid or use of civilian crowds for military purposes, insisting that Israel aims to starve the population into submission. The group’s political head in Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh, demanded the immediate resignation of Israel’s defence minister and threatened renewed rocket barrages if centralised aid centres are not shut down.
The violence at Rafah comes amid broader hostilities that have seen Israel and Iran exchange strikes, raising fears of regional escalation. Gaza, now in its 20th month of war, remains in ruins: over 55,000 Palestinians killed—according to local health authorities—most of them civilians, and 85 percent of housing stock destroyed or damaged.
Pathways to a Ceasefire and Humanitarian Truce
International mediators have repeatedly attempted to negotiate pause agreements to allow safe aid corridors, but talks have faltered. Israel insists that any ceasefire must include Israeli-hostage releases and the disbanding of armed groups in Gaza. Palestinian negotiators demand an immediate end to the siege, restoration of UN humanitarian operations and reconstruction aid.
Egypt and Qatar, long-time mediators, have proposed a phased truce: pause fighting in Gaza, reopen multi-agency aid distribution, release hostages and prisoners on both sides. U.S. and EU officials are pressing Israel to accept the package ahead of the UN General Assembly in New York later this month. However, hardline elements in both Israeli and Palestinian leaderships continue to resist compromise.
Looking Ahead: Risks and Imperatives
As Gaza hurtles toward famine and a humanitarian collapse, the Rafah massacre underscores the lethal consequences of politicising aid. With winter approaching and supplies dwindling, resuming neutral, community-based distribution is increasingly urgent. Failure to do so risks further mass casualties among civilians already traumatized by years of conflict.
The international community faces a stark choice: press for a return to impartial humanitarian principles or witness the tragedy in Rafah replicate across Gaza. Independent investigations—by the UN, the ICC or a credible third party—are essential to establish accountability and prevent further loss of life.
For the families of the victims in Rafah, justice cannot come soon enough. As Ahmed Fayad mourns beneath the white shroud of his cousin, he pleads: “Let the trucks come where people are already sheltering. Let aid be given by people we know and trust, not by soldiers who see us as targets.” Only a swift, substantive shift in policy can prevent tomorrow’s queues from ending in another bloodbath.
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