Palestinians in Gaza claim they were fired upon by Israeli troops and unidentified Palestinian gunmen while heading to an aid distribution site managed by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). The incident occurred on Monday near the Tal al-Sultan area in Rafah.
According to eyewitnesses, this marks the first time they have encountered armed Palestinian groups firing at civilians near the GHF centre, adding a new layer of fear to an already volatile situation. Previous deadly encounters at aid distribution points have been attributed to Israeli drone strikes, which have killed dozens in recent weeks.
Multiple Casualties Reported
The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry confirmed six people were killed and 99 others injured in the incident. However, the GHF denied any activity or violence at the Tal al-Sultan site on Monday, stating the centre was closed that day.
GHF began distributing aid on 26 May and has since seen near-daily fatal incidents around its four operational centres. One of the key centres, located along a road cutting through an Israeli military-controlled zone in Rafah, has witnessed significant bloodshed.
While Israel has consistently denied targeting civilians, the military has acknowledged firing at “suspects” who disregarded warning shots and approached their positions.
Eyewitness: ‘I Narrowly Escaped Death’
Mohammed Sakout, who was collecting aid at the GHF site, told BBC:
“Several young men were shot and killed right behind me. I narrowly escaped death — some bullets passed just inches from my head.”
He further added, “At first, it was the Israeli army that was shooting at civilians. But today, we were shocked to discover the presence of gangs and militias.”
Greta Thunberg Among Activists Deported from Israel
In a separate development, Israeli authorities deported 12 international activists, including climate advocate Greta Thunberg, who were aboard a humanitarian aid yacht headed for Gaza. The Israeli navy had intercepted the vessel and escorted it to Ashdod port.
“The passengers of the ‘Selfie Yacht’ arrived at Ben Gurion Airport to depart from Israel and return to their home countries,” the Israeli foreign ministry confirmed on social media.
