Dozens killed by Israeli gunfire near aid sites in south Gaza
1. The latest incident – July 19, 2025
Early Saturday, Israeli troops opened fire on Palestinians queuing for food near two aid distribution hubs in southern Gaza—located around Khan Younis and Rafah. The Gaza Health Ministry and hospital officials reported that at least 32 Palestinians were killed, with more than 100 wounded Eyewitnesses claim there were no warning shots, directly contradicting the Israeli military, which said it had fired warning shots to deter people from approaching a closed aid site in a secured zone
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which runs the distribution sites, stated no incident occurred at their locations and warned people not to travel before the official opening time, asserting the shootings happened hours earlier and far from their compound
2. Conflicting perspectives
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Palestinian authorities and witnesses describe the scene as a direct assault: gunfire breaking out as crowds, driven by hunger, rushed toward aid on foot and by vehicle. One described it as resembling “a massacre”
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Israel Defense Forces (IDF) maintain they engaged only when people ignored calls to stop and advanced into restricted zones. They claim all shots fired were warnings and that the site was closed at the time
3. Magnitude and pattern
This isn’t an isolated event. Since May, the UN reported nearly 900 deaths near GHF distribution sites—primarily from gunfire attributed by locals to the IDF Recent tallies have included:
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32 killed today
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41 killed yesterday across Gaza—37 near Rafah aid sites
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36 killed in a similar prior incident on July 19, where the IDF again claimed warning shots were fired
4. Humanitarian fallout
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Hospitals like Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis are overwhelmed with dead and injured—many shot in the head or chest—in a healthcare system already starved of supplies
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UN agencies, like UNRWA and the World Food Programme, warn Gaza stands on the brink of “catastrophic hunger.” Even babies have died from starvation
5. Broader conflict context
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This comes amidst Israel’s wider military campaign, which began after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack and has led to approximately 58,000 Palestinian deaths, per Gaza figures
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Indirect ceasefire negotiations are ongoing in Doha, seeking to secure hostage releases and pauses in fighting—but no breakthroughs yet
6. Competing narratives & accountability
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Gazan civil defence and hospital sources have unequivocally blamed Israeli gunfire
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The GHF supports Israel’s statement, emphasizing that distribution centers were closed and operations had not begunThe IDF says it has launched a military inquiry and issued “new directives” following civilian harm
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Critics—including UN agencies—have denounced the GHF model: they contend that aid delivery within military zones, overseen by private contractors and avoiding UN oversight, is unsafe and lacks neutrality
7. What to watch next
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IDF investigation outcomes and any policy shifts regarding warning-shots protocols;
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UN response—especially whether it pressures Israel or shifts humanitarian strategies;
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Ceasefire talks in Doha: any movement could temporarily ease the dire humanitarian conditions.
Summary: At least 32 people were killed, and over 100 wounded, during gunfire incidents near southern Gaza aid centers on July 19, 2025. This fits into an alarming pattern of violence at aid sites over recent months—a crisis fueled by an extreme hunger and restricted aid access. Multiple narratives—Palestinian, Israeli, GHF, UN—diverge sharply on who’s responsible and why warning shots may have escalated into live fire. As hospitals struggle and ceasefire talks falter, the provisioning of aid amid military oversight remains a flashpoint in an already devastating conflict.
