At least 31 Palestinians were killed and more than 200 injured Sunday after gunfire erupted near a humanitarian aid distribution center in southern Gaza, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. The fatal incident occurred at a distribution site operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) in the Rafah area, sparking international outrage and renewed concerns about the safety of aid delivery in conflict zones.
Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes as thousands of civilians gathered before dawn in hopes of receiving aid. Multiple accounts, including from the Palestine Red Crescent Society, claimed Israeli forces opened fire as crowds assembled, with some alleging that security personnel at the aid site also discharged weapons. Victims reportedly suffered gunshot wounds to the head and chest, according to hospital sources.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), in response to CNN’s inquiry, said it was “unaware of injuries caused by IDF fire within the Humanitarian Aid distribution site,” and stated that the incident is under review. The military confirmed there were no casualties among Israeli forces.
The GHF, a U.S.- and Israeli-backed private aid initiative, strongly denied that gunfire occurred at or near the aid center. In a statement issued Sunday morning, the foundation said all aid was distributed “without incident” and claimed reports of violence were “untrue and fabricated,” blaming Hamas for spreading disinformation. However, CNN video footage and firsthand witness accounts contradicted this claim, showing thousands of people fleeing the site, with many leaving empty-handed and visibly panicked.
One witness, Ghassan Eid Al-Aghan, told CNN: “We couldn’t even reach the place where the aid was being handed out. The situation there is terrifying. Heavy gunfire. I won’t risk my life to go. Things can’t go on like this.”
Others, like Mohammad Qdeih, described how instructions had been given by drone to arrive early, only to be met by “random” gunfire. “They’re sniping everyone — women, children, innocent civilians who have nothing to do with anything,” he said.
The United Nations and humanitarian agencies have criticized the GHF’s aid model for failing to follow established humanitarian protocols, such as verifying recipients or using vetted distribution lists. By contrast, organizations like UNRWA screen recipients and distribute aid through community-based networks to avoid mass crowding and chaos.
Despite GHF’s claims of having delivered over 4.7 million meals across Gaza and 887,000 meals on Sunday alone, observers on the ground report that many families—especially the elderly and vulnerable—are walking for hours, only to be turned away or caught in violent stampedes. Some called the distribution zones “death traps.”
Prior to Sunday’s events, at least 11 people had already died at aid centers since the GHF’s launch. The Palestinian Ministry of Health now reports a significantly higher death toll in light of the Rafah incident.
John Acree, interim executive director of the GHF, acknowledged that “the flow of humanitarian relief into Gaza remains far below what’s needed,” and that the organization is operating under “immense constraints.”
As grief-stricken families carried the bodies of their loved ones to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, calls mounted for an independent investigation into the conduct of all parties involved and for safer, more accountable humanitarian aid delivery mechanisms in Gaza.