24 Palestinians killed by Israeli occupation gunfire near US aid distribution center in Rafah
GAZA, June 03 (YPA) – At least 24 Palestinians were killed and over 200 others injured after Israeli occupation forces opened heavy gunfire and bombed hundreds of Palestinians desperately waiting for aid outside the US aid distribution center in Rafah, southern Gaza, early this morning, The Gaza Ministry of Health said in a statement.
According to Palestinian sources, Israeli occupation artillery and warplanes targeted crowds gathered near the aid distribution center in the vicinity of Al-Alam roundabout, west of Rafah.
In the same context, Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) confirmed that dozens of Palestinians have been killed at US- and Israeli-backed aid distribution points.
The organization warned that these recent incidents underscore the inhumanity and ineffectiveness of the new aid delivery system, which it described as extremely dangerous.
With blood banks nearing depletion, medical teams on the ground were forced to donate blood themselves to help treat the wounded. The organization stressed that weaponizing humanitarian aid in this manner may amount to a crime against humanity.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini condemned the new aid mechanism, calling it a “deadly trap.”
He urged “Israel” to lift the blockade and allow the United Nations safe and unfettered access to deliver and distribute humanitarian assistance across the Gaza Strip.
Lazzarini emphasized that the UN must be allowed to carry out independent aid operations to prevent widespread famine, particularly among Gaza’s one million children. He also called on Israel to permit international media access to the territory to report on the ongoing atrocities.
He noted that under the new system, distribution is limited to just three or four locations, forcing civilians to travel long distances in dangerous conditions. Previously, aid was distributed across 400 sites. So far, 310 UNRWA staff members have been killed since the war began.
Since October 7, 2023, Israeli military operations in Gaza have killed 54,470 Palestinians—most of them women and children—and wounded 124,693 others, according to the latest figures. The actual death toll is believed to be higher, as many victims remain trapped under rubble or in areas rescue teams cannot access due to continued attacks.
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