UN says Israeli army killed over 1,000 seeking Gaza aid since late May

AFP , Tuesday 22 Jul 2025

The UN on Tuesday said Israeli forces have killed over 1,000 Palestinians trying to get food aid in Gaza since the US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation started operations.

Palestinian children wait for a meal at a charity kitchen in the Mawasi area of Khan Yunis in the so
Palestinian children wait for a meal at a charity kitchen in the Mawasi area of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP

 

An officially private effort, the GHF began operations on May 26 after Israel halted supplies into the Gaza Strip for more than two months, sparking famine warnings.

GHF operations have been marred by chaotic scenes and near-daily reports of Israeli forces firing on starving people waiting to collect rations in the Palestinian territory, where the Israeli military is seeking to destroy Hamas.

"Over 1,000 Palestinians have now been killed by the Israeli military while trying to get food in Gaza since the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation started operating," UN human rights office spokesman Thameen Al-Kheetan told AFP.

"As of July 21, we have recorded 1,054 people killed in Gaza while trying to get food; 766 of them were killed in the vicinity of GHF sites and 288 near UN and other humanitarian organisations' aid convoys."

Kheetan added: "Our data is based on information from multiple reliable sources on the ground, including medical teams, humanitarian and human rights organisations."

The Israeli war on Gaza has created dire humanitarian conditions for the more than two million people who live in the coastal territory.

Gaza's population faces severe shortages of food and other essentials.

The United Nations and major aid groups have refused to cooperate with the GHF over concerns it was designed to cater to Israeli military objectives and violates basic humanitarian principles.

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