Gaza, MINA – Israeli occupation airstrikes on Tuesday killed at least 27 Palestinians and injured over 90 others in a new massacre targeting civilians gathered for humanitarian aid west of Rafah, in southern Gaza, according to local medical sources and the Gaza government media office, Palestine chronicle reported.
The Palestinian Resistance Movement Hamas strongly condemned the attack, calling the aid delivery process a “trap of death and humiliation” and demanding an end to what it described as a “lethal system” of distribution. Hamas labeled the strike as “deliberate genocide,” accusing Israel of weaponizing food and starvation to displace and kill civilians.
The Israeli military acknowledged firing near the area, claiming that its forces had “identified suspects approaching in a threatening manner,” and added that an investigation into civilian casualties is underway.
Over the past eight days alone, 102 people have been killed at aid distribution points in Gaza, according to Palestinian officials.
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Speaking to Al-Jazeera, Ismail al-Thawabta, director-general of Gaza’s media office, said the aid system amounted to “organized mass blackmail,” orchestrated through buffer zones managed by Israeli-American coordination. He further criticized the current distribution model for its lack of oversight, warning that it enables chaos and violence.
Hamas also called on the United Nations to establish internationally supervised humanitarian corridors free from Israeli interference.
The Geneva-based Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor also condemned the attack, describing the use of food aid as an “instrument of genocide.” Rami Abdu, the group’s head, accused Israel of implementing a “starvation engineering system” to lure civilians to their deaths.
Since March, Israel has enforced a total blockade on Gaza, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis for more than two million Palestinians. While a small number of aid deliveries were allowed after the release of an Israeli-American soldier, the process has been marred by disorganization and violence.
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On May 27, the US-based Gaza Humanitarian Foundation began distributing limited food parcels, but without coordination with UNRWA or other humanitarian agencies, leading to overcrowding and insecurity at aid sites.
The ongoing Israeli assault began following a Palestinian Resistance operation on October 7, 2023. Since then, over 54,000 Palestinians have been killed, more than 124,000 injured, and at least 14,000 remain missing. []
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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