The United Nations has reported that at least 613 Palestinians have been killed at or near humanitarian aid distribution points and convoys in Gaza since late May. The deaths occurred after the Israeli and United States-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) began operating in the enclave, following an 11-week total blockade that had cut off all food and humanitarian assistance.
UN human rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said that while the agency cannot attribute direct responsibility for the killings, it is “clear that the Israeli military has shelled and shot at Palestinians trying to reach the distribution points” run by GHF. The figures were recorded between May 27 and June 27, and Shamdasani warned there have been further incidents since then.
She added that the figures, drawn from an internal situation report by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), may not reflect the full scale of the crisis due to the UN’s limited access to affected areas.
The Gaza Health Ministry reported an even higher toll, stating that more than 650 people have been killed and over 4,000 injured in incidents around aid convoys and distribution sites.
Overall Gaza death toll tops 57,000
Since the Israeli military launched its offensive in October 2023, the total death toll in Gaza has risen to 57,268, with at least 135,625 injured—the majority of them women and children, according to Gaza health authorities.
Medical sources have confirmed that 6,710 civilians have been killed and 23,584 injured since March 18, 2025, when Israel broke a ceasefire agreement and resumed its military campaign in Gaza.
UNRWA warns of starvation and calls for access
Amid the deepening crisis, the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has sounded the alarm over widespread starvation in the Gaza Strip. According to Wafa News Agency, UNRWA reported that people are fainting in the streets from hunger, and condemned the current aid distribution system as one that has “humiliated and dehumanised hungry, frightened, wounded, and exhausted families.”
“No person, anywhere, should be forced to choose between risking their life and feeding their family,” the agency stressed.
UNRWA noted that during the temporary ceasefire, the UN had demonstrated its capacity to deliver life-saving aid safely and at scale across Gaza.
The agency concluded with a clear plea: “We have the systems, the expertise, and the will. What we need is access. Lift the siege. Let us do our job.”
With inputs from AP
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