Gaza, June 17, 2025: Israeli forces killed nearly 70 Palestinians and wounded hundreds more on Tuesday, in what has become the deadliest day at aid distribution sites since the launch of the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) operations. The total number of Palestinians killed across the enclave since dawn has risen to at least 89, according to local health officials.
Eyewitnesses and medics reported that Israeli tanks, machine guns, and drones opened fire on crowds of civilians who had gathered along the eastern road of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, hoping to receive food — particularly flour — from the GHF, which began distributing limited aid in the besieged territory three weeks ago.
Gaza Civil Defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal confirmed that more than 200 people were injured in Tuesday’s strikes, although casualty figures vary. He said Israeli drones fired initially, followed by tank shells that struck the densely crowded area. “It led to a large number of martyrs and wounded,” he stated.
Medical staff at Nasser Hospital, where many of the wounded were rushed, warned the death toll could rise further, as dozens of victims remain in critical condition. Some of the bodies, they said, were “shredded beyond recognition.”
Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Gaza City, said that eyewitnesses described “tanks, drones, and heavy machine guns raining down on civilians.” According to Tareq Abu Azzoum, another Al Jazeera journalist reporting from Deir el-Balah, many of the wounded were “unidentifiable.”
“Dozens of civilians, including children, were killed, and no one could help,” said Saeed Abu Liba, 38.
“I survived by a miracle,” said Mohammed Abu Qeshfa, describing relentless gunfire and tank shelling.
Yousef Nofal called the attack a “massacre” and said people were being shot even as they tried to flee.
Tuesday’s toll surpassed that of Monday, when 38 people — mostly in Rafah — were killed in similar circumstances. Since May 26, when the GHF began its operations under partial Israeli approval, over 300 Palestinians have been killed and more than 2,000 injured while attempting to collect aid.
The GHF was formed with the support of Israel and the United States to distribute limited aid following a near-total blockade that cut off food, medicine, and other essentials for nearly three months. With Gaza’s 2.3 million residents facing famine-like conditions, the GHF’s distribution points have become flashpoints for deadly violence.
However, major humanitarian agencies and the United Nations have refused to partner with the GHF, citing concerns that it serves military objectives rather than humanitarian needs, and bypasses experienced aid networks.
The Israeli military, when previously questioned about casualties at aid distribution points, claimed its forces fired warning shots at individuals perceived as threats, but did not clarify whether those shots struck civilians.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk condemned the killings and called for independent investigations.
“I urge immediate, impartial investigations into deadly attacks on desperate civilians trying to reach food distribution centres,” he stated on Monday.
With no clear end to the conflict in sight, Tuesday’s bloodshed underscores the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the growing controversy over how — and by whom — life-saving aid is being delivered.
