ISLAMABAD (PEN) : United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called for an immediate and independent investigation into a deadly incident at an aid distribution site in Rafah, where dozens of Palestinians were reportedly killed or injured.
In a statement released Monday, Guterres said, “I am appalled by the reports of Palestinians killed and injured while seeking aid in Gaza yesterday. I call for an immediate and independent investigation into these events and for perpetrators to be held accountable.”
Disputed Accounts of Rafah Incident
The incident occurred Sunday near the al-Alam roundabout, close to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) centre. According to eyewitnesses, Israeli tanks advanced toward a crowd waiting for aid and opened fire, causing panic and casualties. The Hamas-run Civil Defence agency reported that 31 people were killed and 176 were wounded.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) confirmed receiving 179 casualties at its Rafah field hospital, with 21 pronounced dead on arrival. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) stated that its staff treated multiple critical cases who claimed to have come under fire from various directions — including drones and ground forces — while approaching the site.
However, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) denied firing on civilians, calling the allegations “false.” “Troops did not fire at civilians near or within the humanitarian aid distribution site,” the IDF said in a statement. A senior military official added that warning shots had been fired to deter individuals approaching troops nearly one kilometre away from the distribution centre.
The GHF also dismissed the claims, stating, “There were no injuries, fatalities, or incidents during our operations yesterday. Period.”
Humanitarian Concerns and International Reactions
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk condemned the conditions under which aid is being delivered. “Can you imagine people that have been absolutely desperate for food, for medicine, for almost three months — and then they have to run for it?” he told the BBC. “It shows utter disregard for civilians.”
Despite footage surfacing online appearing to capture people taking cover from gunfire near the site, major news outlets, including the BBC, stated they could not independently verify the video due to limited access and unidentifiable surroundings.
In response, the IDF released drone footage it claimed showed Hamas gunmen firing at civilians near aid convoys. Verification of the footage, however, remains inconclusive.
Additional Casualties in Rafah and Jabalia
On Monday, three more Palestinians were reported killed by Israeli fire in Rafah’s Tal al-Sultan area, near the same GHF distribution zone. The Red Cross field hospital treated 50 wounded individuals, with two confirmed dead. A third fatality was recorded at Nasser Hospital.
Elsewhere in northern Gaza, Civil Defence teams said 14 civilians — including six children and three women — were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a residential building in Jabalia. Twenty more remain missing under the rubble. The IDF did not comment on that specific incident but stated that airstrikes targeted “dozens of terror-related sites.”
Conflict Escalation and Background
The humanitarian crisis in Rafah has intensified since the Israeli military launched a ground offensive on May 19, part of an expanded campaign to seize control of Gaza. The renewed assault followed the collapse of a two-month ceasefire, with a total blockade imposed on the enclave since March 2.
Israel initiated its military operation after Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack, which killed 1,200 Israelis and resulted in 251 hostages. Gaza’s health ministry now reports at least 54,470 Palestinians have been killed since, including 4,201 since the March offensive resumed.
Israel continues to defend its actions as necessary to secure the release of hostages, with 58 still believed to be held in Gaza, 20 of whom are thought to be alive.
Mounting Pressure for Accountability
Calls for accountability are growing as humanitarian organisations and rights groups demand access to independently verify claims. The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, criticised media coverage, stating, “Drone video and first-hand accounts clearly showed there were no injuries, no fatalities, no chaos.” He also alleged that reports were based on “Hamas-linked sources.”
Despite these assertions, global pressure on Israel and its allies is mounting, with the UN and other international bodies insisting on transparency and accountability amid a worsening humanitarian emergency.
