At least 549 killed seeking aid from Gaza distribution sites

GAZA CITY

People, some carrying aid parcels, walk along the Salah al-Din road near the Nusseirat refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, used by food-seeking Palestinians to reach an aid distributution point set up by the privately-run Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), on June 25, 2025. (Photo by Eyad BABA / AFP)

At least 549 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza while attempting to access humanitarian assistance at aid distribution points operated by the U.S.-backed aid mechanism since it launched operations four weeks ago, the strip’s government media office said on June 26.

In a statement, the office described these aid sites as “death traps” and reported that 39 individuals seeking aid remain missing.

“What is happening at these so-called ‘centers’ amounts to a war crime, for which the Israeli occupation holds full and direct responsibility,” the statement read.

Gaza Humanitarian Foundation began distributing food packages in Gaza at the end of May after Israel partially lifted a near three-month total blockade. Scores of Palestinians have been killed in near daily mass shootings trying to reach the food.

On June 25, a group of 15 human rights and legal organizations called for the suspension of aid operations by the GHF, warning that the initiative may be complicit in international crimes.

The organizations criticized the GHF for a lack of “transparency, impartiality and accountability,” citing concerns over its opaque structure and the absence of publicly available operational plans.

The aid distribution process faced another setback on June 26, following reports claiming that Hamas was stealing humanitarian assistance intended for civilians. In response, far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich threatened to resign from the government unless immediate steps were taken to prevent aid from falling into Hamas’s hands.

Israel has long claimed that Hamas diverts humanitarian supplies for its own use, justifying the need for a tightly controlled aid mechanism — an accusation Hamas denies.

In light of the latest reports, the Israeli government instructed the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to present a plan to block Hamas from accessing aid.

“Following information received today indicating that Hamas is once again taking control of humanitarian aid entering northern Gaza and stealing it from civilians, the prime minister and the defense minister have instructed the IDF to present within 48 hours an operational plan to prevent Hamas from taking over the aid,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated.

While some Israeli media outlets reported a halt in aid deliveries to Gaza during this 48-hour period, the suspension has not been officially confirmed. According to Israeli sources, if the IDF's plan fails, the government is also considering reimposing a full suspension of aid shipments.