Gaza officials say Israeli forces killed 27 heading to aid site. Israel says it fired near suspects
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here Palestinian health officials and witnesses say Israeli forces fired on people as they headed toward an aid distribution site on Tuesday, killing at least 27, in the third such incident in three days. The army said it fired "near a few individual suspects" who left the designated route, approached its forces and ignored warning shots. The near-daily shootings have come after an Israeli and US-backed foundation established aid distribution points inside Israeli military zones, a system it says is designed to circumvent Hamas. The United Nations has rejected the new system, saying it doesn't address Gaza's mounting hunger crisis and allows Israel to use aid as a weapon. Smoke from Israeli bombardment rises over buildings in the northern Gaza Strip, seen from southern Israel, on Monday, June 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo) The Israeli military said it was looking into reports of casualties on Tuesday. It previously said it fired warning shots at suspects who approached its forces early on Sunday and Monday, when health officials and witnesses said 34 people were killed. The military denies opening fire on civilians or blocking them from reaching the aid sites. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which operates the sites, says there has been no violence in or around them. On Tuesday, it acknowledged that the Israeli military was investigating whether civilians were wounded "after moving beyond the designated safe corridor and into a closed military zone" in an area that was "well beyond our secure distribution site". The shootings all occurred at the Flag Roundabout, about a kilometre from one of the GHF's distribution sites in the now mostly uninhabited southern city of Rafah. The entire area is an Israeli military zone where journalists have no access outside of army-approved embeds. At least 27 people were killed early on Tuesday, according to Zaher al-Waheidi, the head of the Gaza Health Ministry's records department. Hisham Mhanna, a spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross, said its field hospital in Rafah received 184 wounded people, 19 of whom were declared dead on arrival and eight more who later died of their wounds. The 27 dead were transferred to Nasser Hospital in the city of Khan Younis. Palestinians carry bags filled with food and humanitarian aid provided by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, in Khan Younis, a out eight kilometres away from Rafah, on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana) There were three children and two women among the dead, according to Mohammed Saqr, head of nursing at Nasser Hospital. Hospital director Atef al-Hout said most of the patients had gunshot wounds. Yasser Abu Lubda, a 50-year-old displaced Palestinian from Rafah, said the shooting started around 4 a.m. in the city's Flag Roundabout area, around one kilometer (1,000 yards) away from the aid distribution hub. He said he saw several people killed or wounded. Neima al-Aaraj, a woman from Khan Younis, gave a similar account. "There were many martyrs and wounded," she said, saying the shooting by Israeli forces was "indiscriminate". She said she managed to reach the hub but returned empty-handed. "There was no aid there," she said. "After the martyrs and wounded, I won't return." "Either way we will die." Rasha al-Nahal, another witness, said "there was gunfire from all directions". She said she counted more than a dozen dead and several wounded along the road. She said she also found no aid when she arrived at the distribution hub, and that Israeli forces "fired at us as we were returning". Palestinians struggle to get donated food at a community kitchen in Khan Younis. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana) The Israeli military meanwhile said Tuesday that three of its soldiers were killed in the Gaza Strip, in what appeared to be the deadliest attack on Israel's forces since it ended a ceasefire with Hamas in March. The military said the three soldiers, all in their early 20s, fell during combat in northern Gaza on Monday, without providing details. Israeli media reported that they were killed in an explosion in the Jabaliya area. Israel ended the ceasefire in March after Hamas refused to change the agreement to release more hostages sooner. Israeli strikes have killed thousands of Palestinians since then, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Hamas-led militants killed some 1200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 people hostage in the October 7, 2023, attack into Israel that ignited the war. They are still holding 58 hostages, a third of them believed to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Israel's military campaign has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were civilians or combatants. The ministry is led by medical professionals but reports to the Hamas-run government. Its toll is seen as generally reliable by UN agencies and independent experts, though Israel has challenged its numbers. Israel says it has killed around 20,000 militants, without providing evidence. About 860 Israeli soldiers have been killed since the October 7 attack, including more than 400 during the fighting inside Gaza. Israel Hamas Conflict
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The Advertiser
8 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Gaza aid group to reopen one food distribution centre
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation will reopen one of its aid distribution centres in the Gaza Strip. The centres were closed on Saturday because the GHF said the Palestinian Islamist militia Hamas was threatening it. One of the centres in Rafah, in southern Gaza, would reopen at noon on Sunday (7pm AEST), the GHF said in a statement on its Arabic-language Facebook page. At the same time, residents were told not to approach the centre before opening hours. Otherwise, the GHF may not be able to distribute food packages, it said. The GHF also closed its distribution centres on Friday for safety reasons and urged residents to stay away from the facilities. Around two weeks ago, Israel eased its blockade of aid deliveries to Gaza. The distribution of aid was taken over by the GHF, bypassing UN aid organisations and other initiatives. The organisation has faced criticism for bypassing established aid networks, as well as for allegedly endangering civilians and breaching widely accepted standards of impartial humanitarian assistance. Last week, the UN said increasing numbers of Palestinians were "vulnerable to starvation", with daily energy intake well below what a human body needs to survive. Meanwhile, Palestinian medical sources said at least 60 people had been killed in the Gaza Strip since early Saturday. Dozens more have been injured, the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry said. The Israeli army initially provided no information, and the figures could not be independently verified. The death toll is rising by the hour as the Israeli military continues to attack various locations in the sealed-off territory. The Palestinian news agency WAFA reported deaths in the areas around Khan Younis and Rafah in the south of the embattled strip, as well as in Gaza City further north. There was no initial comment from the Israeli military. Israel has been fighting Hamas in the Gaza Strip since the militia and its allies launched an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing some 1200 people and abducting 250. The subsequent war has killed more than 54,000 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-controlled health ministry. The figures do not distinguish between civilian and military deaths. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation will reopen one of its aid distribution centres in the Gaza Strip. The centres were closed on Saturday because the GHF said the Palestinian Islamist militia Hamas was threatening it. One of the centres in Rafah, in southern Gaza, would reopen at noon on Sunday (7pm AEST), the GHF said in a statement on its Arabic-language Facebook page. At the same time, residents were told not to approach the centre before opening hours. Otherwise, the GHF may not be able to distribute food packages, it said. The GHF also closed its distribution centres on Friday for safety reasons and urged residents to stay away from the facilities. Around two weeks ago, Israel eased its blockade of aid deliveries to Gaza. The distribution of aid was taken over by the GHF, bypassing UN aid organisations and other initiatives. The organisation has faced criticism for bypassing established aid networks, as well as for allegedly endangering civilians and breaching widely accepted standards of impartial humanitarian assistance. Last week, the UN said increasing numbers of Palestinians were "vulnerable to starvation", with daily energy intake well below what a human body needs to survive. Meanwhile, Palestinian medical sources said at least 60 people had been killed in the Gaza Strip since early Saturday. Dozens more have been injured, the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry said. The Israeli army initially provided no information, and the figures could not be independently verified. The death toll is rising by the hour as the Israeli military continues to attack various locations in the sealed-off territory. The Palestinian news agency WAFA reported deaths in the areas around Khan Younis and Rafah in the south of the embattled strip, as well as in Gaza City further north. There was no initial comment from the Israeli military. Israel has been fighting Hamas in the Gaza Strip since the militia and its allies launched an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing some 1200 people and abducting 250. The subsequent war has killed more than 54,000 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-controlled health ministry. The figures do not distinguish between civilian and military deaths. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation will reopen one of its aid distribution centres in the Gaza Strip. The centres were closed on Saturday because the GHF said the Palestinian Islamist militia Hamas was threatening it. One of the centres in Rafah, in southern Gaza, would reopen at noon on Sunday (7pm AEST), the GHF said in a statement on its Arabic-language Facebook page. At the same time, residents were told not to approach the centre before opening hours. Otherwise, the GHF may not be able to distribute food packages, it said. The GHF also closed its distribution centres on Friday for safety reasons and urged residents to stay away from the facilities. Around two weeks ago, Israel eased its blockade of aid deliveries to Gaza. The distribution of aid was taken over by the GHF, bypassing UN aid organisations and other initiatives. The organisation has faced criticism for bypassing established aid networks, as well as for allegedly endangering civilians and breaching widely accepted standards of impartial humanitarian assistance. Last week, the UN said increasing numbers of Palestinians were "vulnerable to starvation", with daily energy intake well below what a human body needs to survive. Meanwhile, Palestinian medical sources said at least 60 people had been killed in the Gaza Strip since early Saturday. Dozens more have been injured, the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry said. The Israeli army initially provided no information, and the figures could not be independently verified. The death toll is rising by the hour as the Israeli military continues to attack various locations in the sealed-off territory. The Palestinian news agency WAFA reported deaths in the areas around Khan Younis and Rafah in the south of the embattled strip, as well as in Gaza City further north. There was no initial comment from the Israeli military. Israel has been fighting Hamas in the Gaza Strip since the militia and its allies launched an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing some 1200 people and abducting 250. The subsequent war has killed more than 54,000 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-controlled health ministry. The figures do not distinguish between civilian and military deaths. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation will reopen one of its aid distribution centres in the Gaza Strip. The centres were closed on Saturday because the GHF said the Palestinian Islamist militia Hamas was threatening it. One of the centres in Rafah, in southern Gaza, would reopen at noon on Sunday (7pm AEST), the GHF said in a statement on its Arabic-language Facebook page. At the same time, residents were told not to approach the centre before opening hours. Otherwise, the GHF may not be able to distribute food packages, it said. The GHF also closed its distribution centres on Friday for safety reasons and urged residents to stay away from the facilities. Around two weeks ago, Israel eased its blockade of aid deliveries to Gaza. The distribution of aid was taken over by the GHF, bypassing UN aid organisations and other initiatives. The organisation has faced criticism for bypassing established aid networks, as well as for allegedly endangering civilians and breaching widely accepted standards of impartial humanitarian assistance. Last week, the UN said increasing numbers of Palestinians were "vulnerable to starvation", with daily energy intake well below what a human body needs to survive. Meanwhile, Palestinian medical sources said at least 60 people had been killed in the Gaza Strip since early Saturday. Dozens more have been injured, the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry said. The Israeli army initially provided no information, and the figures could not be independently verified. The death toll is rising by the hour as the Israeli military continues to attack various locations in the sealed-off territory. The Palestinian news agency WAFA reported deaths in the areas around Khan Younis and Rafah in the south of the embattled strip, as well as in Gaza City further north. There was no initial comment from the Israeli military. Israel has been fighting Hamas in the Gaza Strip since the militia and its allies launched an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing some 1200 people and abducting 250. The subsequent war has killed more than 54,000 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-controlled health ministry. The figures do not distinguish between civilian and military deaths.
The Advertiser
11 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Gaza food aid paused again, amid claims of Hamas threat
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation says it has been forced to stop distributing desperately needed food in the war-torn strip because Hamas is threatening it, as Palestinian sources report at least 60 dead in the latest Israeli strikes. "Hamas is the reason hundreds of thousands of hungry Gazans were not fed today," the GHF, a US and Israeli-backed aid group, said in a statement on Saturday, referring to the Palestinian Islamist militia. "The group issued direct threats against GHF operations. These threats made it impossible to proceed today without putting innocent lives at risk." The group charged that Hamas wants control over aid distribution so it can exploit the Gaza population. "Hamas wants to return to a broken system it once controlled and exploited - diverting aid, manipulating distribution, and putting its own agenda ahead of the Palestinian people's basic needs," the GHF said. But the group said it "will not be deterred" and it would adapt to "these threats" and return to food distribution "without delay". The GHF had already announced the temporary closure of its distribution centres on Friday. The centres were reportedly closed due to the "large crowds" in order to ensure the safety of people on site. Thousands of food packages had been distributed beforehand, it said. Around two weeks ago, Israel eased its blockade of aid deliveries to Gaza. The distribution of aid was taken over by the GHF, bypassing UN aid organisations and other initiatives. The organisation has been accused of endangering civilians and violating the standards of neutral aid. Israel says it wants to prevent Hamas from seizing the aid deliveries. Meanwhile, Palestinian medical sources said at least 60 people had been killed in the Gaza Strip since early Saturday. Dozens more have been injured, the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry said. The Israeli army initially provided no information, and the figures could not be independently verified. The death toll is rising by the hour as the Israeli military continues to attack various locations in the sealed-off territory. The Palestinian news agency WAFA reported deaths in the areas around Khan Younis and Rafah in the south of the embattled strip, as well as in Gaza City further north. There was no initial comment from the Israeli military. The Israeli military said it had killed the leader of the Palestinian Mujahideen Brigades who it said was directly involved in the abduction and murder of the well-known Bibas hostages. Shiri Bibas and her two red-haired sons became symbols of the plight of Israeli hostages after video footage of the frightened mother and her two children being abducted spread around the world. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it killed As'ad Abu Sharaiya, in Gaza City in the north of the coastal strip in a joint special operation by the IDF and the Shin Bet domestic intelligence service. In recent years, he is said to have served as the leader of the relatively small Mujahideen Brigades. Israeli also said it had recovered the body of a Thai hostage and brought to Israel, according to a post on X. The remains of Nattapong Pinta were found in the joint operation by the army and the Shin Bet near the southern city of Rafah and brought to Israel. Pinta was said to have been abducted from the Nir Oz kibbutz on the border with Gaza on October 7, 2023. He was killed while being held hostage by members of the Palestinian Mujahideen Brigades, the military said. The rescue was possible thanks to "precise intelligence information" and the family was informed after a forensic identification. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation says it has been forced to stop distributing desperately needed food in the war-torn strip because Hamas is threatening it, as Palestinian sources report at least 60 dead in the latest Israeli strikes. "Hamas is the reason hundreds of thousands of hungry Gazans were not fed today," the GHF, a US and Israeli-backed aid group, said in a statement on Saturday, referring to the Palestinian Islamist militia. "The group issued direct threats against GHF operations. These threats made it impossible to proceed today without putting innocent lives at risk." The group charged that Hamas wants control over aid distribution so it can exploit the Gaza population. "Hamas wants to return to a broken system it once controlled and exploited - diverting aid, manipulating distribution, and putting its own agenda ahead of the Palestinian people's basic needs," the GHF said. But the group said it "will not be deterred" and it would adapt to "these threats" and return to food distribution "without delay". The GHF had already announced the temporary closure of its distribution centres on Friday. The centres were reportedly closed due to the "large crowds" in order to ensure the safety of people on site. Thousands of food packages had been distributed beforehand, it said. Around two weeks ago, Israel eased its blockade of aid deliveries to Gaza. The distribution of aid was taken over by the GHF, bypassing UN aid organisations and other initiatives. The organisation has been accused of endangering civilians and violating the standards of neutral aid. Israel says it wants to prevent Hamas from seizing the aid deliveries. Meanwhile, Palestinian medical sources said at least 60 people had been killed in the Gaza Strip since early Saturday. Dozens more have been injured, the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry said. The Israeli army initially provided no information, and the figures could not be independently verified. The death toll is rising by the hour as the Israeli military continues to attack various locations in the sealed-off territory. The Palestinian news agency WAFA reported deaths in the areas around Khan Younis and Rafah in the south of the embattled strip, as well as in Gaza City further north. There was no initial comment from the Israeli military. The Israeli military said it had killed the leader of the Palestinian Mujahideen Brigades who it said was directly involved in the abduction and murder of the well-known Bibas hostages. Shiri Bibas and her two red-haired sons became symbols of the plight of Israeli hostages after video footage of the frightened mother and her two children being abducted spread around the world. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it killed As'ad Abu Sharaiya, in Gaza City in the north of the coastal strip in a joint special operation by the IDF and the Shin Bet domestic intelligence service. In recent years, he is said to have served as the leader of the relatively small Mujahideen Brigades. Israeli also said it had recovered the body of a Thai hostage and brought to Israel, according to a post on X. The remains of Nattapong Pinta were found in the joint operation by the army and the Shin Bet near the southern city of Rafah and brought to Israel. Pinta was said to have been abducted from the Nir Oz kibbutz on the border with Gaza on October 7, 2023. He was killed while being held hostage by members of the Palestinian Mujahideen Brigades, the military said. The rescue was possible thanks to "precise intelligence information" and the family was informed after a forensic identification. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation says it has been forced to stop distributing desperately needed food in the war-torn strip because Hamas is threatening it, as Palestinian sources report at least 60 dead in the latest Israeli strikes. "Hamas is the reason hundreds of thousands of hungry Gazans were not fed today," the GHF, a US and Israeli-backed aid group, said in a statement on Saturday, referring to the Palestinian Islamist militia. "The group issued direct threats against GHF operations. These threats made it impossible to proceed today without putting innocent lives at risk." The group charged that Hamas wants control over aid distribution so it can exploit the Gaza population. "Hamas wants to return to a broken system it once controlled and exploited - diverting aid, manipulating distribution, and putting its own agenda ahead of the Palestinian people's basic needs," the GHF said. But the group said it "will not be deterred" and it would adapt to "these threats" and return to food distribution "without delay". The GHF had already announced the temporary closure of its distribution centres on Friday. The centres were reportedly closed due to the "large crowds" in order to ensure the safety of people on site. Thousands of food packages had been distributed beforehand, it said. Around two weeks ago, Israel eased its blockade of aid deliveries to Gaza. The distribution of aid was taken over by the GHF, bypassing UN aid organisations and other initiatives. The organisation has been accused of endangering civilians and violating the standards of neutral aid. Israel says it wants to prevent Hamas from seizing the aid deliveries. Meanwhile, Palestinian medical sources said at least 60 people had been killed in the Gaza Strip since early Saturday. Dozens more have been injured, the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry said. The Israeli army initially provided no information, and the figures could not be independently verified. The death toll is rising by the hour as the Israeli military continues to attack various locations in the sealed-off territory. The Palestinian news agency WAFA reported deaths in the areas around Khan Younis and Rafah in the south of the embattled strip, as well as in Gaza City further north. There was no initial comment from the Israeli military. The Israeli military said it had killed the leader of the Palestinian Mujahideen Brigades who it said was directly involved in the abduction and murder of the well-known Bibas hostages. Shiri Bibas and her two red-haired sons became symbols of the plight of Israeli hostages after video footage of the frightened mother and her two children being abducted spread around the world. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it killed As'ad Abu Sharaiya, in Gaza City in the north of the coastal strip in a joint special operation by the IDF and the Shin Bet domestic intelligence service. In recent years, he is said to have served as the leader of the relatively small Mujahideen Brigades. Israeli also said it had recovered the body of a Thai hostage and brought to Israel, according to a post on X. The remains of Nattapong Pinta were found in the joint operation by the army and the Shin Bet near the southern city of Rafah and brought to Israel. Pinta was said to have been abducted from the Nir Oz kibbutz on the border with Gaza on October 7, 2023. He was killed while being held hostage by members of the Palestinian Mujahideen Brigades, the military said. The rescue was possible thanks to "precise intelligence information" and the family was informed after a forensic identification. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation says it has been forced to stop distributing desperately needed food in the war-torn strip because Hamas is threatening it, as Palestinian sources report at least 60 dead in the latest Israeli strikes. "Hamas is the reason hundreds of thousands of hungry Gazans were not fed today," the GHF, a US and Israeli-backed aid group, said in a statement on Saturday, referring to the Palestinian Islamist militia. "The group issued direct threats against GHF operations. These threats made it impossible to proceed today without putting innocent lives at risk." The group charged that Hamas wants control over aid distribution so it can exploit the Gaza population. "Hamas wants to return to a broken system it once controlled and exploited - diverting aid, manipulating distribution, and putting its own agenda ahead of the Palestinian people's basic needs," the GHF said. But the group said it "will not be deterred" and it would adapt to "these threats" and return to food distribution "without delay". The GHF had already announced the temporary closure of its distribution centres on Friday. The centres were reportedly closed due to the "large crowds" in order to ensure the safety of people on site. Thousands of food packages had been distributed beforehand, it said. Around two weeks ago, Israel eased its blockade of aid deliveries to Gaza. The distribution of aid was taken over by the GHF, bypassing UN aid organisations and other initiatives. The organisation has been accused of endangering civilians and violating the standards of neutral aid. Israel says it wants to prevent Hamas from seizing the aid deliveries. Meanwhile, Palestinian medical sources said at least 60 people had been killed in the Gaza Strip since early Saturday. Dozens more have been injured, the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry said. The Israeli army initially provided no information, and the figures could not be independently verified. The death toll is rising by the hour as the Israeli military continues to attack various locations in the sealed-off territory. The Palestinian news agency WAFA reported deaths in the areas around Khan Younis and Rafah in the south of the embattled strip, as well as in Gaza City further north. There was no initial comment from the Israeli military. The Israeli military said it had killed the leader of the Palestinian Mujahideen Brigades who it said was directly involved in the abduction and murder of the well-known Bibas hostages. Shiri Bibas and her two red-haired sons became symbols of the plight of Israeli hostages after video footage of the frightened mother and her two children being abducted spread around the world. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it killed As'ad Abu Sharaiya, in Gaza City in the north of the coastal strip in a joint special operation by the IDF and the Shin Bet domestic intelligence service. In recent years, he is said to have served as the leader of the relatively small Mujahideen Brigades. Israeli also said it had recovered the body of a Thai hostage and brought to Israel, according to a post on X. The remains of Nattapong Pinta were found in the joint operation by the army and the Shin Bet near the southern city of Rafah and brought to Israel. Pinta was said to have been abducted from the Nir Oz kibbutz on the border with Gaza on October 7, 2023. He was killed while being held hostage by members of the Palestinian Mujahideen Brigades, the military said. The rescue was possible thanks to "precise intelligence information" and the family was informed after a forensic identification.
Sky News AU
2 days ago
- Sky News AU
Letters to government calling for ceasefire in Gaza achieve ‘next to nothing'
Executive Council of Australian Jewry Co-CEO Alex Ryvchin claims any letters written in an attempt for intervention by groups and individuals for the war in Gaza to end are not "worth the paper they're written on". The Australian Medical Association wrote to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese about the war in Gaza, urging the government to call for an immediate and sustainable ceasefire. 'We're all sick and tired of individuals and groups with no skin in the game, with no ability to actually impact events on the ground, taking these sorts of moral positions and trying to tell the people of Israel how they should fight this war and rescue their people,' Mr Ryvhcin told Sky News Senior Reporter Caroline Marcus. 'For all the pontificating that's been going on, and letters and petitions ... at the end of the day, the only thing that's going to rescue the hostages is Israeli minds and sacrifice. 'These doctors and these petitions aren't going to achieve anything. 'If they want to do something productive and constructive, let them stand with people of goodwill and call for an immediate end to the conflict through the defeat of Hamas.'
