At least ten individuals lost their lives when Israeli forces opened fire near two aid distribution centers, where desperate Palestinians were gathered in search of food, as reported by witnesses and health officials on Saturday. This violence erupted just one day after US officials visited the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) site, with US Ambassador Steve Witkoff calling the humanitarian efforts there “an incredible feat.”
Rising Death Toll Amid Humanitarian Crisis
The latest fatalities follow Israel’s announcement of limited humanitarian pauses and airdrops aimed at providing assistance to Gaza’s over two million residents, who are largely dependent on aid after nearly 22 months of conflict. However, the United Nations and local partners have criticized the insufficient aid reaching the region, with supplies reportedly stranded outside Gaza pending Israeli approval.
The UN estimates that to adequately support the population, between 500 and 600 trucks of aid are required daily. Unfortunately, many of these trucks are reportedly looted by desperate citizens and criminal factions before they can reach distribution warehouses. Gaza’s health ministry revealed on Saturday that seven Palestinians had died from malnutrition-related causes within the last 24 hours, including a child.
Conflict Near GHF Distribution Sites
In a harrowing account from the northernmost GHF distribution site located near the Netzarim corridor, Yahia Youssef, a man seeking aid, described seeing multiple injured individuals on the ground after he helped carry three wounded by gunfire. “It’s the same daily episode,” he lamented. Health workers confirmed that at least eight people were killed in the incident. According to Israel’s military, they fired warning shots at a gathering approaching their forces.
Additional reports indicated that two more individuals were killed in the Shakoush area, close to the GHF facility in southern Rafah, with Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis receiving multiple injured patients. Witness Mohamed Abu Taha recounted how Israeli troops opened fire on the gathered crowds, resulting in at least three individuals—a woman and two men—being shot as he attempted to escape.
Israel’s military stated they were unaware of any fire from their forces in the vicinity, while GHF denied any incidents near their sites.
The GHF, which has received significant financial backing from the US, was established in May as an alternative to the UN-operated aid distribution system, which Israel has accused of permitting Hamas to divert supplies. However, no substantial evidence has been provided to support these claims, and the UN has denied such allegations.
According to a UN report released Thursday, from May 27 to July 31, 859 individuals were killed near GHF sites, with many more casualties along UN-led food convoy routes. Historically, Hamas-led police secured those convoys, but Israeli fire has targeted these officers.
Both Israel and GHF have contended that the reported casualty figures are exaggerated.
In related developments, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with families of hostages on Saturday, a week after halting ceasefire negotiations, which he attributed to Hamas’ unwillingness to compromise. Witkoff, alongside US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, visited the GHF’s assistance delivery station in southern Rafah, one of only three such facilities in the blockaded area.
As reported by The Washington Post, Witkoff announced that the US had formulated a plan to secure the release of all remaining hostages. He noted that Trump “now believes that everybody should come home at once, no piecemeal deals,” during a discussion that was recorded and aired on Israeli television.
The father of Israeli hostage Guy Illouz, Michel Illouz, expressed disappointment, stating, “He didn’t say anything new to me. We didn’t hear anything practical,” and voiced frustration over the lack of a timeline for negotiations. Protests from families gathered at the hostages’ square in Tel Aviv called on the Israeli government to negotiate terms for ending the conflict, urging them to “stop this nightmare and bring them out of the tunnels.”
According to Witkoff, US officials are aiming for the release of half of the remaining 20 hostages on the first day of a ceasefire, with the remainder to follow shortly thereafter. It is reported that twenty of the fifty hostages are believed to be deceased.