DEIR AL-BALAH – June 9, 2025 — At least 12 Palestinians were reportedly killed and dozens wounded as they approached aid distribution sites in Gaza, according to Palestinian health officials and eyewitnesses. The shootings occurred near facilities run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a group supported by Israel and the United States. The Israeli military claimed it had only fired warning shots toward individuals approaching its forces in an active combat zone.
The past two weeks have seen multiple fatalities near the newly designated aid hubs, where thousands of civilians, desperate after nearly 20 months of war, are directed to collect food. Witnesses and hospital officials report that more than 80 people have been killed in similar incidents during this period.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, a total of 108 bodies were brought to hospitals over the past 24 hours. Eleven of the latest victims were taken to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. Eyewitnesses reported that Israeli forces opened fire near a roundabout approximately one kilometer from a GHF distribution point in Rafah.
In central Gaza, Al-Awda Hospital received the body of one man and 29 injured people from another GHF aid hub. The Israeli military confirmed it fired warning shots in that area but said it observed no casualties.
The GHF, which temporarily paused its operations last week to review safety protocols with Israeli military officials, resumed deliveries on Sunday. The group emphasized that its three sites were operational and had not seen violence during their activities.
Witness accounts painted a harrowing picture. Adham Dahman, wounded and treated at Nasser Hospital, said: “We didn’t know how to escape… this is a trap for us, not aid.” Another survivor, Zahed Ben Hassan, questioned the military’s actions, stating: “They said it was a safe area… so why did they start shooting at us?”
Israel and the United States support the GHF-led distribution model, which operates within Israeli-controlled military zones and is intended to replace the UN-led aid delivery system. The UN has criticized the new structure, claiming it fails to meet urgent humanitarian needs and forces civilians into dangerous conditions. The UN also denies Israeli and US claims that Hamas systematically diverts aid.
Meanwhile, Israel reported that it had identified the body of Hamas military leader Mohammed Sinwar, found in a tunnel beneath the European Hospital in Khan Younis. The military invited select journalists to inspect the site but continued to block independent international media from entering Gaza.
The war has devastated Gaza, killing over 54,800 people — primarily women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry — and displacing roughly 90% of the population. The conflict continues with no ceasefire in sight, as hostage negotiations remain at a standstill.