UN reports nearly 800 killings near aid sites in Gaza

The United Nations human rights office (OHCHR) has reported at least 798 deaths over the past six weeks in and around aid distribution points in Gaza, raising urgent questions about the safety and impartiality of humanitarian operations in the conflict-ravaged enclave.

According to OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani, 615 of these fatalities occurred near sites managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US- and Israeli-backed organisation distributing aid largely through private security and logistics firms. An additional 183 deaths were recorded near convoys run by other relief groups, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The GHF began delivering food aid in Gaza at the end of May, following Israel’s lifting of an 11-week blockade. It operates independently of the traditional UN-led humanitarian system, which Israel criticises for allegedly allowing Hamas militants to divert aid intended for civilians. Hamas denies such claims.

The United Nations has described the GHF’s aid distribution model as “inherently unsafe” and a breach of humanitarian principles requiring impartiality. Most of the injuries reported by OHCHR were gunshot wounds, with civilians killed while attempting to access essential supplies in areas where Israeli forces maintain a strong presence.

In response to the UN figures, a GHF spokesperson dismissed the data as “false and misleading,” asserting that the most deadly attacks on aid sites have been linked to UN convoys, not their own operations. The spokesperson also accused Hamas and criminal gangs of looting the majority of humanitarian aid in Gaza.

The Israeli army stated it is reviewing recent incidents involving mass casualties near aid sites and has taken steps to minimise tensions by installing fences, signage, and opening additional routes for civilians. “Following incidents in which harm to civilians who arrived at distribution facilities was reported thorough examinations were conducted in the Southern Command,” said an Israeli military representative.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire after nearly two years of conflict and widespread destruction. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the World Food Programme have highlighted severe shortages of food and basic supplies, compounded by looting and violence.

With over 2.3 million Palestinians displaced and the enclave largely reduced to rubble, the risks faced by civilians trying to access aid underscore the urgent need for transparent investigations and safer humanitarian delivery methods.

By Vugar Khalilov