Key Point Summary – Killed Over 1000 Aid-Seekers

• Over 1,000 Palestinians have been shot dead while trying to get food
• Most deaths occurred near sites run by an Israeli-backed U.S. contractor
• UN and aid groups warn famine is imminent as children die of starvation
• Western nations slam Israel’s aid model as dangerous and inhumane
• Israeli military denies lethal force, says only warning shots were fired
• Israel and U.S. blame Hamas for prolonging war and worsening crisis
• At least 59,000 Palestinians have died since the war began

Gaza Aid Lines Turn Deadly

Since May, Israeli forces have shot and killed more than 1,000 Palestinians trying to reach food aid sites in Gaza, the United Nations said Tuesday. Most of the victims died near facilities operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an American contractor supported by Israel.

The announcement comes as Gaza’s hunger crisis reaches catastrophic levels. Local officials said Israeli strikes killed at least 25 people Tuesday across the territory. Shifa Hospital confirmed 12 deaths at a refugee camp strike, including three women and three children.

Meanwhile, Gaza’s Health Ministry reported that 101 people—80 of them children—have died from starvation in recent days.

UN: Situation Is “Deliberate and Human-Made”

The UN Human Rights Office said 1,054 Palestinians had been killed while seeking food since late May. At least 766 of those deaths occurred near GHF-operated aid sites. Another 288 died in incidents involving gunfire around UN convoys or other food distribution points.

UN spokesperson Thameen al-Kheetan said the figures came from multiple ground sources including medics, humanitarian groups, and eyewitnesses. He added the data is still undergoing verification.

“This is a deliberate and human-made disaster,” said Joseph Belliveau, executive director of MedGlobal. His charity reported that five infants—including one just 3 months old—died from starvation this week alone.

Desperation at Breaking Point

On Tuesday, lines outside charity kitchens in Gaza City turned violent. People fought for bowls of watery soup. Many left empty-handed. Nadia Mdoukh, a pregnant mother of three living in a tent, said the risk of heatstroke and being trampled is constant. “I do it for my children,” she said. “This is famine.”

The UN’s World Food Program echoed that statement, describing the crisis as “astonishing.” Nearly 100,000 women and children suffer from severe acute malnutrition, the agency said. One-third of Gaza’s population goes days without food.

GHF and the Israeli military denied UN casualty figures, calling them “exaggerated.” Both claimed only warning shots were fired to deter stampedes. Witnesses and medical workers, however, say troops fired directly into crowds.

Global Condemnation Mounts

A joint statement from 28 Western nations—including the UK and France—condemned Israel’s handling of the humanitarian crisis. “The Israeli government’s aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity,” it read.

The United States and Israel rejected the statement, blaming Hamas for rejecting ceasefire offers and holding hostages from the Oct. 7, 2023, attack. That assault by Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people and led to the abduction of 251 others. Fewer than half of the 50 believed to still be in Gaza are thought to be alive.

Israel insists it will not stop until Hamas is defeated or disarmed. Hamas, in turn, has demanded a permanent ceasefire and full withdrawal of Israeli forces before releasing remaining hostages.

Civilian Death Toll Continues to Rise

The war has now claimed more than 59,000 Palestinian lives, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Though the ministry is run by Hamas, its casualty data remains the most widely accepted source, even by the UN.

Strikes on aid-seeking crowds and refugee shelters have become tragically common. One blast killed eight people waiting for food in Gaza City on Monday night. “A bag of flour covered in blood and death,” one witness said.

Despite calls from President Donald Trump for renewed ceasefire talks, violence continues unabated. International agencies say Gaza is on the brink—and time is running out.