At least 549 Palestinians have been killed while attempting to receive aid near U.S.- and Israeli-backed relief centers in Gaza over the past four weeks, according to Gaza’s Government Media Office.
The Qatari news outlet Al Jazeera reported that since the start of operations by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) — an aid initiative supported by the U.S. and Israel — hundreds have died in targeted attacks while queuing for food and supplies.
In an official statement, Gaza’s authorities said that 4,066 others were injured and 39 remain missing as a result of what they described as “systematic and deliberate violence” at distribution points. The government condemned the attacks, calling them “a clear war crime” and placing direct responsibility on Israeli occupying forces.
The statement also accused Israel of using food as a weapon of war, alleging that civilians are lured with promises of aid, only to be fired upon in organized assaults. “This is not aid; it’s a strategy of domination and destruction,” the media office said.
As the humanitarian crisis deepens in Gaza, international observers and rights groups are increasingly alarmed by the weaponization of essential aid. Gaza’s government has urged global institutions to intervene and hold Israel accountable for what it describes as “daily massacres under the guise of relief.”