Almost 800 killed near aid sites in Gaza, UN says

The United Nations human rights office has reported that at least 798 people have been killed at aid centres and along humanitarian convoy routes in Gaza since the start of a controversial relief operation, Asharq Al-Awsat reported on July 11th via Reuters.

The figures, confirmed by OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani in Geneva, highlight growing concerns over the safety of humanitarian missions in the conflict zone.

According to the UN, 615 deaths occurred near Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) sites, while 183 fatalities were recorded along aid convoys’ routes.

The GHF, backed by the US and Israel, began distributing food parcels in Gaza in late May, employing private American security and logistics firms to transport supplies. This system largely bypasses the UN’s coordination mechanisms, which Israel claims have been exploited by militants to seize aid.

However, the United Nations has criticised the strategy, calling it “inherently unsafe” and a breach of humanitarian neutrality protocols. Despite mounting evidence and international scrutiny, the GHF has consistently denied any incidents at its distribution points.

As reported by Maghrebi on June 27th, alongside Middle East Eye via AFP, doctors without borders (MSF) have urged for the GHF to be dismantled, due to the attacks that have taken place around Gaza aid sites. According to MSF, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) has been “slaughter masquerading as humanitarian aid.”

As violence continues around vital aid corridors, these latest figures underscore the dangers faced by both civilians and relief workers in Gaza, amid contested aid delivery systems and competing international interests.

Asharq Al-Awsat via Reuters, Middle East Eye via AFP, Maghrebi.org