A chaotic and deadly scene unfolded near an aid distribution centre in Rafah, southern Gaza, on Monday, as Palestinians say they came under fire from both local gunmen and Israeli forces. The shooting reportedly occurred near the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) site in Tal al-Sultan—an area already marked by repeated violence since aid distribution began in late May.
According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, at least six people were killed and 99 injured during Monday’s incident. Witnesses described masked gunmen in civilian clothes opening fire on crowds waiting for food aid, with some alleging these attackers operated alongside Israeli troops.
“At first, we thought they were just volunteers helping with the distribution,” said Hisham Saeed Salem. “But suddenly, they began shooting. People were being shot even after receiving aid—some were even robbed in the chaos.”
Another survivor, Mohammed Sakout, recounted narrowly escaping death. “At first, it was only the Israeli army firing. But today we saw gangs and militias. It was shocking.”
Mohammed Kabaga, who is being treated for a neck wound at Nasser Hospital, told the Associated Press that the attackers initially told people to line up before turning their guns on them.
The Israeli military has said it is “looking into” the reports. The GHF confirmed the Tal al-Sultan site did not open on Monday due to what it called “crowd chaos,” though it maintained that its two other active sites operated “without incident.”
The GHF, a controversial aid body backed by Israel and the US, has been attempting to operate outside the UN aid structure—drawing criticism from established humanitarian organizations. The UN and other NGOs have refused to cooperate with the GHF, arguing that its methods undermine humanitarian principles and increase the risk to civilians.
The foundation says it has delivered over 11 million meals without serious incident, but Gaza’s health authorities report 127 deaths and over 1,200 injuries near aid zones since the GHF began operations.
Tensions are heightened after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently admitted to arming certain Palestinian clans in Gaza opposed to Hamas—raising questions about the emergence of irregular militias near military zones.
As Gaza continues to face catastrophic hunger amid an ongoing blockade, the security and neutrality of aid distribution remain dangerously in question.
