KHAN YOUNIS, June 9: At least six Palestinians were killed and nearly 100 injured on Monday after Israeli forces and allied local gunmen fired on a crowd heading to a food distribution center in Rafah, southern Gaza, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Witnesses said the gunmen, linked to a local militia called the Popular Forces, opened fire after the crowd threw stones. The shooters then retreated into an Israeli military zone. The Israeli military did not immediately comment, though it recently acknowledged supporting local armed groups opposed to Hamas.
The incident is the latest in a series of shootings near food distribution centers run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an Israeli- and U.S.-backed group. Since the rollout of this controversial aid system last month, at least 127 people have been killed and hundreds wounded. Israel and the U.S. say the system is designed to bypass Hamas, accused of diverting aid, but the UN and major aid groups reject it as inadequate and dangerous.
GHF denies working with the Popular Forces but warns that straying from military-designated roads to the aid centers is extremely risky. The Rafah site was closed Monday due to crowd chaos. Eyewitnesses reported masked gunmen in 4×4 vehicles firing directly into the crowd. Several victims were treated at Nasser Hospital with gunshot wounds, including some to the head and neck.
The violence underscores the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The Israeli-Egyptian blockade, imposed since Hamas seized power in 2007, tightened after the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and led to the abduction of 251 hostages.
Israel’s military response has killed over 54,900 Palestinians, mostly women and children, displaced 90% of Gaza’s population, and devastated infrastructure, leaving the territory reliant on aid.
Israel initially sealed Gaza off completely in March but later allowed limited aid under international pressure. However, UN agencies report that restrictions and widespread looting have impeded aid delivery.
Efforts to broker a ceasefire remain deadlocked. Hamas demands a permanent ceasefire and Israeli withdrawal in exchange for releasing hostages. Israel vows to continue fighting until Hamas is defeated or disarmed.
Prime Minister Netanyahu has stated Israel intends to maintain long-term control over Gaza and encourage what he calls “voluntary emigration” of its population—a plan widely condemned as forced displacement by Palestinians and the international community. (AP)
