AhlulBayt News Agency: The United Nations human rights office has reported that at least 613 Palestinian aid seekers have been killed in Gaza, many of them near distribution centers run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a project backed by Israel and the United States.
UN spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said on Friday in Geneva that the reported number was current as of June 27, noting that additional incidents have occurred since then.
According to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), 509 of those deaths happened close to GHF aid delivery sites. This supports claims that the US-Israel initiative has led to fatal consequences. However, this count is still lower than that given by Gaza’s Health Ministry, which cited over 650 deaths and more than 4,000 injuries.
The GHF, created in late May under Israeli and US guidance, was tasked with providing aid in Gaza. However, its operations have faced disruption due to chaos at distribution points and repeated reports of Israeli forces firing on civilians seeking assistance.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has characterized GHF’s aid sites as “death traps” for desperate civilians under blockade.
Gaza civil defense spokesperson Mahmoud Basal stated that they have documented cases where civilians were intentionally killed by Israeli troops.
He reported that over 600 civilians were slain at these aid sites, with causes ranging from sniper fire and drone strikes to aerial bombings targeting families searching for food.
An Associated Press investigation released Wednesday revealed that American security personnel guarding the aid centers used live rounds, tear gas, and stun grenades against Palestinians waiting in line.
Former EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell condemned the role of US-linked armed groups, blaming them for killing hundreds of starving Palestinians and criticized the European Union for remaining silent.
Close to 170 NGOs have called for the complete shutdown of the controversial GHF initiative and demanded reinstatement of the former UN-led aid system that operated until Israel imposed a total blockade in March.
Medical sources in Gaza reported that at least 41 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks on various parts of the Strip early Friday.
Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, launched on October 7, 2023, has now led to the deaths of at least 57,130 Palestinians, according to the health ministry.
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