At least 27 Palestinians were killed and dozens more wounded by Israeli fire near a food distribution point in Rafah, southern Gaza, on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, according to local health officials. The incident marks another deadly flashpoint in the ongoing humanitarian and military crisis in the region.
🔺 Key Developments
- Israeli military confirmed its troops opened fire near the aid site, claiming individuals had strayed from designated access routes.
- The IDF said its soldiers fired “evasive shots” and later “additional shots near suspects” who continued to advance.
- The incident occurred hours after three Israeli soldiers were reported killed in northern Gaza, as part of Israel’s extended ground operations against Hamas.
- The Gaza Health Ministry reported rising casualties and warned of the impact of new evacuation orders on Nasser Hospital, the largest remaining functional hospital in the south.
🍞 Humanitarian Crisis at Aid Sites
- The U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which began aid distributions last week, claims its Tuesday delivery of 21 truckloads of food was “safe and incident-free”.
- But deadly crowd incidents near Rafah continue:
- Sunday: At least 31 killed
- Monday: 3 more Palestinians killed
- Tuesday: 27 more reported dead
- The Foundation’s operations, endorsed by Israel but operating outside U.N. frameworks, have drawn sharp criticism from the United Nations and NGOs, who argue that the method lacks accountability and violates core humanitarian principles.
🕊️ International Reaction & Evacuation Orders
- U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said he was “appalled” by repeated incidents of civilian deaths at aid sites and has called for an independent investigation.
- The Israeli military issued fresh evacuation orders in parts of Khan Younis on Monday night, instructing civilians to move toward Mawasi, an already overcrowded “humanitarian zone.”
- UN and Palestinian officials say no area is truly safe, with over 2.3 million people now internally displaced.
🏥 Medical System Under Threat
- The Gaza Health Ministry warned that operations at Nasser Hospital could be suspended due to nearby evacuations, potentially endangering countless lives amid ongoing mass casualty events.
❗ Summary
This latest surge in violence underscores the increasingly dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza, where aid distribution itself has become a deadly event. As both military operations intensify and civilian access to food and healthcare collapses, pressure is mounting on the international community to intervene and ensure civilian protection and humanitarian access in the war-ravaged enclave.
