In a devastating series of attacks by Israeli forces on Saturday, at least 87 Palestinians were killed across the Gaza Strip, marking one of the deadliest days in recent weeks. More than 30 of the victims were civilians awaiting humanitarian aid near Rafah, at a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) distribution point. Eyewitnesses reported that Israeli troops deliberately fired into crowds of people, including women, children, and elderly individuals desperately seeking food and medical aid.
The assault extended to Gaza City’s Tuffah neighborhood, where airstrikes on Jaffa Street resulted in at least 14 deaths, including four civilians crushed beneath collapsing buildings. Approximately 10 more residents were severely injured in these strikes.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza, already critical due to a months-long blockade, is deteriorating further. Hospitals are reporting increasing numbers of child fatalities directly attributable to severe malnutrition. Food scarcity and a lack of essential medical supplies are pushing the densely populated region towards a famine.
Criticism is mounting against the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation for its management of aid distribution through heavily guarded, militarized sites, which the United Nations and human rights groups have labeled “death traps” and “human slaughterhouses.” Since these sites became operational in late May, nearly 800 Palestinians have reportedly been killed while trying to access basic necessities.
The international community continues to express alarm, urging immediate intervention to prevent further civilian casualties and address the mounting humanitarian disaster. Calls for independent investigations and a return to UN-managed aid operations are intensifying as the situation grows more desperate by the hour.