United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep concern on Monday over reports that dozens of Palestinians were killed and injured while seeking food aid in Gaza. He called for an immediate and independent investigation into the incident.
"It is unacceptable that Palestinians are risking their lives for food," Guterres said in a statement. "I call for an immediate and independent investigation into these events and for perpetrators to be held accountable."
Security camera footage of food distribution at the GHF center in Rafah
The incident occurred on Sunday near a food distribution center operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) in Rafah. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry reported that over 30 Palestinians were killed and more than 170 injured by Israeli fire as they attempted to collect aid.
The IDF denied the allegations, stating that their preliminary investigation indicated no firing at civilians near or within the aid distribution area. An IDF official acknowledged that warning shots were fired approximately one kilometer away from the distribution site hours before it opened, aimed at individuals approaching Israeli forces.
GHF also refuted claims of casualties during the aid distribution, asserting that the reports were fabricated by Hamas to discredit the organization. The foundation said that its operations proceeded without incident and that only two individuals required medical attention—one for dehydration and another injured by others seeking aid.
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
"In recent hours, false reports have been spread, including serious allegations against the IDF regarding fire toward Gazan residents in the area of the humanitarian aid distribution site in the Gaza Strip," the military said in a statement.
"Findings from an initial inquiry indicate that the IDF did not fire at civilians while they were near or within the humanitarian aid distribution site and that reports to this effect are false. The IDF is cooperating with the American Civil Organization (GHF) and international aid organizations in order to enable the distribution of aid to the Gazan residents — and not to Hamas. Hamas does everything in its power to undermine food distribution efforts in the Gaza Strip."
GHF said it has distributed nearly 900,000 meals in the Rafah distribution point but warned that the more it succeeds in providing humanitarian aid to the civilians in Gaza, the more Hamas would attempt to spread falsehoods about alleged massacres.
"The more successful GHF's efforts become, the more distressed Hamas will find itself, and accordingly, we will see more and more fake publications of 'massacre' incidents," the fund said in its statement.