Massacre in Rafah: Dozens of Palestinians killed while seeking aid in Gaza

Department of Research, Studies and International News 02-06-2025

In another grim chapter of the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, over 30 Palestinians were shot dead on Sunday while attempting to collect food near an Israeli-controlled distribution site in Rafah. Eyewitnesses described the incident as a deliberate and excessive use of force by Israeli troops, further worsening the already dire situation in the besieged Palestinian enclave.

According to reports from local sources and medical staff, Israeli forces opened fire on a large group of civilians who had gathered at a food aid center affiliated with the so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a distribution network operating under Israeli oversight. The site, heavily guarded and located within a militarized zone, became the scene of carnage as people desperate for food were met with live ammunition.

Yarin Abu al-Naja, a 44-year-old resident of Rafah, recounted the harrowing experience: “My brother went out to collect food and never made it back safely. He was shot in the back while trying to flee the chaos. One of his friends died on the spot, and another was critically wounded in the head.”

With ambulances unable to reach the area due to Israeli restrictions, victims were transported using donkey carts. The lack of medical access compounded the suffering, as hospitals in Gaza, already overwhelmed and under-equipped, struggled to handle the flood of casualties. Doctors described scenes of unimaginable horror: mutilated bodies, missing limbs, and life-threatening injuries caused by high-velocity gunfire and drone strikes.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) confirmed that its field hospital in Rafah received 179 wounded, of whom 21 were declared dead upon arrival. The ICRC referred to the incident as the “highest number of weapon-wounded in a single event” since it established operations in Gaza. Nasser Hospital, one of the few functioning facilities in the region, reported at least 31 fatalities, with more still arriving.

Israeli officials denied targeting civilians directly but admitted that their forces had fired what they termed “warning shots” at a group approaching the aid site prior to its official opening time. Yet multiple eyewitnesses contradicted this narrative, stating that people began gathering early, many as early as 5am, to secure food for their starving families. As the crowd neared the Flag Roundabout, roughly one kilometer from the aid center, Israeli troops allegedly opened fire without provocation.

One survivor, Hani Baraka, shared a chilling account: “The area was packed. A drone flew over us and broadcast a message to wait until 6am. But some people moved forward out of desperation. That’s when the soldiers lost control and began shooting. My brother was hit in the head. He died immediately.”

Baraka also described how the drone collided with a wire and crashed, prompting a rush by civilians. “That’s when snipers and soldiers fired more aggressively. The Americans stationed at the site didn’t shoot but threw stun grenades to scare people away after aid supplies ran out,” he added.

The GHF, which reportedly contracts private security and operates under Israeli military protection, denied any involvement in the violence, claiming that aid distribution had occurred “without incident.” However, access to the sites remains restricted to media and international observers, raising serious concerns over transparency and accountability.

This massacre is not an isolated event. Just days earlier, on May 28, Palestinian authorities accused Israel of killing at least three civilians and wounding 46 near another aid hub operated by the GHF. Tel Aviv responded with the familiar justification of “warning shots,” even as hunger drives thousands to risk their lives for food.

Israel continues to impose a total blockade on Gaza, choking off supplies under the pretext that Hamas seizes them for militant purposes, an allegation firmly denied by the Palestinian resistance group. As a result, food insecurity has skyrocketed. Recent data from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) warns that over half a million people face catastrophic levels of hunger, including nearly 71,000 children under five who are likely to suffer from acute malnutrition in the coming months.

Humanitarian agencies, including the United Nations, have criticized the current Israeli-administered aid model as fundamentally flawed and weaponized. By controlling when, where, and how food is delivered, Israel effectively uses humanitarian aid as a political tool, exacerbating suffering among Gaza’s 2.3 million inhabitants.

The latest bloodshed comes amid stalled ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas. While the resistance group has shown willingness to amend terms of a truce proposal, the U.S. envoy, clearly aligned with Israeli priorities, dismissed the move as “totally unacceptable,” further undermining prospects for peace.

As global powers like Russia, China, and Pakistan call for immediate cessation of violence and unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza, the collective silence of Western governments, especially Washington, only serves to embolden Israeli aggression. For the besieged people of Gaza, the promise of aid is now fraught with mortal danger.