Israel's deadly attacks on Palestinians seeking aid in Gaza

Israeli forces have killed 23 Palestinians across Gaza, with local authorities reporting that at least 11 of those deaths occurred while people were attempting to collect food at aid centers operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an organization supported by the United States.

Medical staff at al-Awda Hospital in central Gaza informed Al Jazeera on Sunday that at least three individuals were shot dead and dozens more injured by Israeli forces while trying to reach a GHF aid site near the Netzarim Corridor.

Severe hunger has forced many Palestinians to rely on the few remaining food distribution points in Gaza, but Israeli troops have responded with sniper fire and bombings. Frequent mass shootings at these aid locations have resulted in dozens of fatalities, with accusations that the GHF aid efforts have been exploited for military purposes.

On Saturday alone, at least 79 Palestinians were killed, many of them while seeking humanitarian assistance. Medical teams at al-Awda and Al-Aqsa hospitals confirmed that 15 people died near the GHF distribution site close to the Netzarim Corridor.

The Israeli military has not issued any comments about the attacks on Sunday.

The GHF started distributing aid in Gaza at the end of May, following Israel’s partial easing of a three-month blockade on food, medicine, and other essentials.

Reporting from Deir el-Balah, Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum noted that Palestinians increasingly view GHF aid points as dangerous “execution sites” due to recurring attacks.

Although the GHF closed its aid centers on Saturday, thousands gathered near these sites, desperate for food amid Israel’s blockade and military assault that have pushed Gaza to the edge of famine.

Earlier this month, GHF operations were temporarily suspended after several violent incidents involving Israeli forces shooting Palestinians at aid distribution points.

The Gaza Ministry of Health reported that since GHF began operations, at least 274 Palestinians have been killed and over 2,000 injured near aid sites.

While the Israeli military has admitted to firing on aid seekers, it claims shots were only fired when individuals deviated from approved routes to GHF sites.

Hamas denies Israeli allegations that it steals aid and accuses Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war, turning aid points into deadly traps for civilians.

The United Nations has criticized GHF’s aid distribution as insufficient, hazardous, and violating humanitarian principles.

Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), described GHF’s operations as a failure from a humanitarian standpoint, stating that aid must be delivered safely and securely to those in need.

Israel’s ongoing conflict in Gaza has resulted in nearly 55,300 Palestinian deaths, mostly civilians, and has devastated much of the densely populated territory, where over two million people live, many displaced and facing extreme hunger.