At least 26 Palestinians were killed and at least 175 were injured because they were injured while receiving food in the Gaza Strip, according to health officials and witnesses.
Witnesses said Israeli forces opened fire at a crowd of about 1,000 yards of people at the aid site run by the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. A Palestinian journalist told the BBC that when Israeli tanks approached and fired at the crowd, thousands of Palestinians gathered near the aid site near the southern Gaza city of Rafa, a Palestinian journalist told the BBC.
The IDF said that "the damage caused by the IDF fire in the humanitarian aid distribution site is not yet aware of", adding that "the matter is still under review."
The foundation said in a statement that it provided 16 trucks to aid "accident-free" early Sunday. It denied previous records of chaos and gunfire around its sites, which are located in Israel’s military areas.
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Palestinians carry bags containing food and humanitarian aid packages from the Gaza Humantoar Arimatian Foundation, located in Khan in the southern Gaza Strip on Sunday, June 1, 2025. (AP)
In its statement, the foundation dismissed what it calls “false reports of death, mass injury and chaos.”
The group's aid distribution was damaged by chaos, with multiple witnesses saying Israeli troops fired shots in crowds near delivery sites. At least six people were killed and 50 injured before Sunday, according to local health officials.
The foundation said the private security contractor guarding its website has not been fired from the crowd. The Israeli military said it fired warning footage in previous events.
Witnesses said Israeli troops ordered them to disperse and return as thousands traveled to the distribution site hours before dawn. Witnesses said the military opened fire when the crowd reached the flag roundabout about 1,000 yards away.
"From all directions, there are fires in naval warships, tanks and drones," said Amr Abu Teiba in the crowd.
Palestinians carry boxes and bags containing food and humanitarian aid packages from the Gaza Humananias Arimanarian Foundation, located on Sunday, June 1, 2025, Khan in the southern Gaza Strip. (AP)
He said he observed at least 10 bodies, gunshot wounds and several other injured people, including women. People use trolleys to transport victims to on-site hospitals.
Another witness, Ibrahim Abu Saoud, gave a nearly identical statement. Abu Saoud said he saw many people suffering gunshot wounds, including a young man, who he said died at the scene.
Mohammed Abu Teaima said he saw Israeli troops open fire and killed his cousin and another woman because they were heading to the distribution site. He said his cousin was shot in his chest and died at the scene, while many others were injured, including his brother son.
"They fired directly at us," he said.
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Smoke rose after seeing Israeli troops bombing from southern Israel on Sunday, June 1, 2025. (AP)
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Israel and the United States also support the foundation, saying the new aid system is trying to prevent Hamas from taking away aid. Israel has provided no evidence of any systematic transfer and the United Nations denial.
UN agencies and major aid groups refused to work with the new system, believing it violated humanitarian principles because it allowed Israel to control who received aid and forced people to relocate to distribution sites.
The United Nations system has been working to provide assistance after Israel has recently relaxed its general blockade in the territory. The group said that Israel’s restrictions, the collapse of law and order, and widespread robbery made it very difficult to provide assistance to Palestinians in Gaza.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.