Israeli Defense Forces Reportedly Kill 62 in Gaza, Including 10 Awaiting Aid, Says Civil Defense
The civil defense agency in Gaza has reported that Israeli forces have killed at least 62 individuals, including ten who were awaiting aid.
According to civil defense spokesman Mahmud Bassal, 62 Palestinians lost their lives due to Israeli strikes or gunfire in Gaza.
When approached for comment, the Israeli military stated it was “investigating the incidents” and denied that its troops fired in one of the central Gaza locations where rescuers reported one fatality.
Palestinians stand in line to receive hot meals at a food distribution point in Gaza.
Investigations into Israeli war crimes
Haaretz, a left-leaning Israeli newspaper, quoted unnamed Israeli soldiers asserting they were instructed to fire at crowds to keep them at bay, employing excessive lethal force against individuals perceived as non-threatening.
The military maintained that the Israel Defense Forces did not direct soldiers to intentionally shoot at civilians.
It also mentioned efforts to enhance “the operational response” in aid areas, including the installation of new fencing and signage, as well as the creation of additional routes to access distribution points.
Haaretz cited unnamed sources indicating that the army unit responsible for reviewing potential breaches of international law had been assigned to examine soldiers’ conduct near aid areas over the past month.
The Israeli military confirmed that some incidents are being evaluated by appropriate authorities.
It stated: “Any allegations of deviations from the law or IDF orders will be thoroughly investigated, with further actions taken as necessary.”
US approves funding for Gaza
This development comes as the US State Department announced the approval of $30 million in funding for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), calling on other nations to support the controversial organization that delivers aid in Gaza.
“This support represents the latest effort by President [Donald] Trump and Secretary [Marco] Rubio to pursue peace in the region,” stated State Department deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott during a regular news briefing.
The United States has historically supported the GHF diplomatically, but this marks the first known financial contribution from the US government to the organization, which employs private for-profit US military and logistics firms to transport aid into the enclave for distribution at designated secure sites.
Major aid organizations and the United Nations have refused to collaborate with the GHF, citing violations of fundamental humanitarian principles due to coordination with military forces.
The Doctors Without Borders charity called for an immediate cessation of the relief effort, branding it as “slaughter masquerading as humanitarian aid.”
In a statement, it emphasized that the GHF “degrades Palestinians by design, forcing them to choose between starvation or risking their lives for minimal supplies.”
It further demanded the scheme be “dismantled immediately.”
Some US officials opposed providing funds to the GHF due to concerns over violence near its aid distribution sites.
In March, Israel began obstructing the delivery of food and other essential supplies into Gaza, leading to warnings of famine in a territory largely devastated by Israeli bombings since the attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The GHF, backed by armed US contractors alongside Israeli troops at the perimeter, commenced operations at the end of May, which have been marked by chaotic scenes, fatalities, and neutrality concerns.
The Gaza health ministry reported that nearly 550 individuals have been killed near aid centers while seeking scarce supplies since late May.
Since Israel lifted the 11-week aid blockade on Gaza, permitting limited UN deliveries to resume, the United Nations has indicated that over 400 people have died while attempting to receive aid from both UN and GHF operations.
Earlier this month, the GHF suspended aid deliveries for a day as it urged Israel to enhance civilian safety near its distribution sites following the deaths of numerous Palestinians seeking assistance.
The GHF, which is officially a private entity, has denied that lethal incidents occurred in the immediate vicinity of its aid points.
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GHF’s executive director Johnnie Moore, an evangelical preacher who was a White House adviser during the first Trump administration, claimed in a post on X that the group has provided over 46 million meals to Gazans since its operations began in May.
Some US officials expressed opposition to allocating US funds to the foundation, citing concerns about violence near aid distribution sites, the GHF’s inexperience, and the involvement of for-profit American logistics and military firms, four sources informed Reuters earlier this week.
According to two anonymous sources, the United States could approve additional monthly grants of $30 million for the GHF.
While approving the US funding for the GHF, the sources revealed that the State Department exempted the foundation, which has not publicly disclosed its finances, from the audit typically required for organizations receiving USAID grants for the first time.
There exists a severe shortage of food and other essential supplies following nearly two years of military campaigns by Israel, which have displaced two million people in Gaza.
