At least 36 people were killed early Saturday in Gaza while making their way to what they believed was an aid distribution site, according to the Gaza Health Ministry and Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis.
The Israeli military confirmed it had fired warning shots at individuals it described as “suspects” who came near Israeli troops. A military statement said those involved had ignored repeated warnings and were still about a kilometer away from a non-operational aid distribution area.
Local accounts tell a different story.
Mohammed al-Khalidi, a Gaza resident who was part of the group, called the scene chaotic and unprovoked.
“We thought they came out to organise us so we can get aid,” al-Khalidi said. “Suddenly I saw the jeeps coming from one side, and the tanks from the other. They started shooting at us.”
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a U.S.-supported organization that runs the aid site, said its operations had not yet begun at the time of the reported incident.
“There were no fatalities or incidents at any GHF sites on Saturday,” the foundation said in a statement. “The reported IDF activity occurred hours before our locations opened, and most casualties were reported several kilometers away.”
GHF emphasized it consistently warns people not to approach its sites in the dark.
The Israeli military has kicked off a review, but the context here is crucial. Tensions over aid in Gaza have been escalating for weeks as the humanitarian crisis spirals out of control.
The U.N. had actually raised red flags about this specific operator, GHF, before, pointing out that their way of doing things was unsafe and didn’t align with established humanitarian principles.
GHF denies those allegations, stating its model is needed to bypass what it calls Hamas interference in aid routed through U.N. channels.
Meanwhile, the U.N. human rights office in Geneva said Tuesday it has recorded at least 875 deaths around food convoys and aid sites in the past six weeks, mostly in areas where GHF operates. The majority of those deaths were caused by gunfire, according to local reports blaming Israeli forces.
The Israeli military said it had updated its protocols based on recent experiences, acknowledging civilian harm.
Saturday’s violence didn’t stop there. Health authorities in Gaza said at least 50 more people were killed across the enclave during other Israeli strikes. Among the dead was the head of the Hamas-run police in Nuseirat and 11 of his family members.
Ten months into the war, the human cost is almost unfathomable. What began with a Hamas attack on October 7 that killed around 1,200 people in Israel has spiraled into a devastating Israeli offensive in Gaza.
According to Palestinian health officials, that campaign has now killed an estimated 58,000 people—the vast majority of them civilians—and displaced nearly everyone in the territory.
Amid this backdrop of staggering loss, the Israeli military announced its latest targets on Saturday, saying it had hit weapon depots and sniper positions.
While destruction continues, indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas are underway in Doha, with Egypt and Qatar mediating a possible 60-day ceasefire and a hostage deal.
At least 50 hostages are believed to remain in Gaza. About 20 are thought to still be alive.
In Tel Aviv, relatives of the hostages continue to pressure the Israeli government to act.
Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan was kidnapped from his home, issued a plea outside Israel’s defense headquarters.
“An entire people wants to bring all 50 hostages home and end the war,” she said.
“My Matan is alone in the tunnels,” she added. “He has no more time.”
