Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, on 1 June 2025″ class=”sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj”/>
AFP

Following reports of Palestinian deaths near an aid distribution center in Gaza, UN Secretary-General Guterres is calling for an independent investigation. The incident occurred near a center in Rafah, allegedly run by the US and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).

Conflicting accounts have emerged, with witnesses claiming they were shot at while waiting for aid. Medical sources indicate a significant number of casualties were treated, while the Israeli military denies its troops fired on civilians at the site.

Conflicting reports Emerge

The Red Cross reported its hospital received 179 casualties, including 21 fatalities. The hamas-run Civil Defence agency reported a death toll of 31. The Israeli military has refuted claims that its forces fired at civilians in the vicinity of the aid distribution point.

The GHF has dismissed the reports as “outright fabrications,” stating they have not seen evidence of an attack near their facility. Access restrictions for international news organizations into Gaza complicate independent verification of events.

“I am appalled by the reports of Palestinians killed and injured while seeking aid in Gaza yesterday.”

In response to the incident, UN Secretary-General Guterres stated: “I am appalled by the reports of Palestinians killed and injured while seeking aid in Gaza yesterday. I call for an immediate and independent investigation into thes events and for perpetrators to be held accountable.”

Israel’s foreign ministry responded sharply, calling Guterres’ comments a “disgrace” and criticizing him for not mentioning Hamas.

Differing Accounts of the Incident

The Civil Defence agency reported 31 deaths and 176 injuries, alleging “Israeli gunfire targeted thousands of civilians near the American aid centre in Rafah.” the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reported its field hospital in Rafah received a “mass casualty influx” of 179 cases, with 21 declared dead on arrival. The ICRC added that “all patients said they had been trying to reach an aid distribution site”.

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reported treating patients with serious injuries at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, who “reported being shot at from all sides by israeli drones, helicopters, boats, tanks and soldiers”.

The Israel Defense forces (IDF) stated that an initial inquiry indicated its troops “did not fire at civilians while they were near or within the humanitarian aid distribution site and that reports to this effect are false”. An IDF spokesman accused Hamas of “spreading rumours” and “trying bluntly and violently to stop the people of gaza from reaching those distribution centres”.

The IDF also released drone video purportedly showing armed men firing at civilians collecting aid,though independent verification was not possible.

An Israeli military official stated that soldiers had acted to “prevent a number of suspects from approaching the forces” approximately 1km from the GHF site, firing “warning shots.” The official insisted there was “no connection between the incident in question and the false allegations against the IDF”.

The GHF reiterated that the reports were “the most egregious in terms of outright fabrications and misinformation,” stating, “There were no injuries, fatalities or incidents during our operations yesterday. Period. We have yet to see any evidence that there was an attack at or near our facility.”

The US ambassador to Israel, Mike huckabee, accused major news outlets of “reckless and irresponsible reporting” and stated, “Drone video and first-hand accounts clearly showed that there were no injuries, no fatalities, no shooting, no chaos,” attributing the stories to “Hamas sources”.

Reuters

Reports from Monday indicated that three more Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire near the same GHF center in Rafah’s Tal al-Sultan area. A Red Cross spokesman stated that its field hospital in Rafah received 50 wounded individuals,primarily with gunshot and shrapnel wounds,including two who were deceased upon arrival. Nasser hospital in Khan Younis reported receiving a third body.

The Israeli military stated that “warning shots were fired toward several suspects who advanced toward” troops approximately 1km from the site and that it was “aware of reports regarding casualties, and the details of the incident are being thoroughly looked into”.

The Civil Defence also reported that 14 people, including six children and three women, were killed in an Israeli strike on a house in the northern town of Jabalia. More than 20 others were believed to be missing under the rubble