Iran vows further 'massive attacks' after strikes on Israel – DW – 06/17/2025
06/17/2025
June 17, 2025 Israeli strikes kill dozens of Palestinians near Gaza aid distribution center
At least 45 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have been killed and hundreds injured by Israeli forces while people were heading for an aid distribution site in Khan Younis, according to Gaza's Hamas-run Health Ministry and a local hospital.
Israel's army has not yet commented on the incident.
Gaza civil defense spokesperson Mahmud Bassal, who gave a higher death toll of at least 47, told the AFP news agency: "Israeli drones fired at the citizens. Some minutes later, Israeli tanks fired several shells at the citizens, which led to a large number of martyrs and wounded."
Eyewitnesses told Germany's dpa news agency that the Israeli army had carried out shelling as people were on their way on foot or by car to the distribution center between the cities of Rafah and Khan Younis.
Mourning Palestinians carried the bodies of those killed by Israeli strikes in Gaza Image: Hatem Khaled/REUTERS
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which is supported by Israel and the US, began distributing aid last month after an almost three-month-long Israeli blockade of humanitarian supplies.
The foundation is meant to provide an alternative to humanitarian assistance from the UN and NGOs, which Israel claims has been misappropriated by Hamas militants in the past.
Palestinians have been reported killed near the distribution centers on several occasions.
UN agencies and major aid groups deny that their aid is being diverted to any significant extent and have rejected the creation of the GHF, saying the aid they provide is inadequate and that the system improperly allows Israel to control who has access to assistance.
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Despite its ambitious name, the treaty falls short of establishing a mutual defense pact. It does not oblige either side to provide military assistance in the event of an attack. Instead, it simply commits both parties to refrain from aiding their adversaries. Last January, Iran president Pezeshkian visited Russia to sign a partnership agreement Image: Evgenia Novozhenina/Pool/File Photo/REUTERS Middle East analyst Marianna Belenkaya, who left Russia after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine and now resides in Israel, believes Moscow is highly unlikely to offer Iran any direct military support, at least not in any official or public capacity. "It has no need to, especially as it is trying to restore or improve relations with Washington, although some behind-the-scenes involvement can't be ruled out entirely." Belenkaya reckons. Russia as a mediator for Iran Belenkaya says Putin is sincere in his recent public offers to act as a mediator between Iran and its opponents. 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Suleimanov, the Cairo-based Middle East analyst, underscored that it's in the Kremlin's best interest that American and European leaders are distracted from what's happening in Ukraine. "Against this backdrop, Putin may seize the opportunity to launch an offensive or cause some other kind of trouble," Suleimanov said.
