Dozens of residents who came to receive food at a distribution center in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, were killed by gunfire from Israeli forces.
According to Al Jazeera on August 3 (local time), it was confirmed that 62 Palestinian residents were killed in the Gaza Strip by attacks from Israeli forces since the early morning of the previous day.
Of these, at least 38 were residents who were trying to obtain food at distribution centers, including those run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). According to medical staff and witnesses cited by the Associated Press, at least 8 people died near the northernmost GHF distribution center close to the Netzarim Corridor, and at least 2 people died in the Shakushi area, several hundred meters from the southern Rafah GHF distribution center.
This tragedy occurred the day after U.S. officials, including Steve Witkoff, Middle East envoy for President Donald Trump, visited Rafah in southern Gaza on August 1 to inspect GHF relief distribution centers and then departed.
Additionally, 19 people were shot and killed in a crowd that had gathered to receive food at the Jikim checkpoint near the Israeli border. However, the Israeli military stated that they were not aware of any gunfire. The GHF also claimed that nothing happened near the distribution center and that only tear spray or blank rounds were used to prevent crowding.
In March, Israel completely blocked the entry of supplies into the Gaza Strip, claiming that Hamas was seizing relief goods. In May, Israel partially lifted the blockade and, together with the United States, established the GHF to allow only limited distribution.
However, as food supplies ran out, the hunger crisis worsened, and Israeli forces continued to open fire on crowds gathering at distribution centers in search of food.
According to the United Nations, from May 27 to July 31, 859 people died near GHF distribution centers, and several hundred more died on UN-led food transport routes. As of August 1, the number of residents who died while trying to access humanitarian aid reached 1,373.
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