Death toll from hunger in Gaza rises to 102, as Israeli occupation turns aid centers into death traps
GAZA, June 03 (YPA) – The government media office in the Gaza Strip stated on Tuesday that the Israeli occupation has turned the distribution centers for “US-Israeli aid” into death traps, leading to a tragic toll of 102 fatalities and 490 injuries among starving civilians within just eight days.
In a released statement, the office said, “In a recurring and intentional atrocity, Israeli occupation forces committed a new massacre on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, near the ‘US-Israeli aid’ center in the Rafah governorate. This attack resulted in the deaths of 27 starving civilians and injured more than 90 others with varying degrees of wounds.”
It was highlighted that as a result, the total number of victims at these “centers” has risen to 102 deaths and 490 injuries since they began operating in Rafah and Wadi Gaza Bridge on May 27, 2025. This is part of a suspicious project managed under Israeli supervision and marketed under the guise of “humanitarian response,” where killings occur openly and crimes of systematic genocide are committed.
The government media office emphasized that what is referred to as aid distribution centers, located in hazardous and exposed areas under the control of the occupation army, have become mass blood traps. Starving civilians, driven by severe famine and a stringent blockade, are lured into these areas only to be deliberately shot at, in an act that reveals the insidious nature of this project and its true objectives.
According to the statement, these centers lack proper independent humanitarian oversight and are instead managed securely by the Israeli occupation and a U.S. security company. This essentially renders them sites of systematic killing disguised under a false humanitarian cover, which under international law qualifies as war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The office strongly condemned such massacres and held the Israeli occupation fully accountable for these ongoing atrocities executed under the guise of “aid distribution.” It also attributed direct responsibility to the United States for its political and logistical support of this deadly project, accusing it of weaponizing food in a campaign of genocide against Gaza’s civilian population.
The statement further highlighted that daily massacres at these distribution points—with broad daylight attacks leaving alarming numbers of victims—demonstrate an intentional use of aid as an instrument of death and ethnic cleansing. This aligns with acts considered genocide under Article II of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide.
In its demands, the Government Media Office called on the United Nations, the Security Council, and human rights organizations to fulfill their moral and legal responsibilities. The office urged immediate action to pressure for the unrestricted opening of official crossings and ensure that humanitarian aid is delivered through neutral international organizations such as the UN, far removed from the lethal US-Israeli model.
Moreover, the office appealed for the urgent formation of an independent international investigation committee to document these massacres and bring those responsible to justice before international courts. The statement cautioned that ongoing international silence effectively grants impunity for further crimes.
The office categorically rejected Israeli-imposed “buffer zones” or “humanitarian corridors,” describing them as mere deadly traps designed to round up civilians into massacre sites where they are systematically killed. Such actions represent blatant disregard for fundamental principles of international humanitarian law.
Lastly, it asserted that the continuation of these crimes amidst disgraceful international inaction tarnishes humanity’s conscience and underscores the occupation’s ongoing genocidal practices. These heinous acts are carried out publicly and without fear of accountability before the global community.
YPA