Gaza: UN Secretary-General António Guterres has strongly condemned the killing and wounding of scores of Palestinians as they attempted to receive food aid in Gaza over the weekend.
In a statement released Monday, he called for a thorough and impartial investigation into the incident, which left more than 30 dead and over 100 injured, according to reports.
The victims had gathered at two separate food distribution points in Rafah and central Gaza, operated by the newly formed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). The foundation—reportedly backed by the United States and Israel—began operating outside the UN-led humanitarian framework in late May, using private American security contractors under the oversight of the Israeli military.
Guterres said he was “appalled” by the reports, emphasizing that it is “unacceptable that Palestinians are risking their lives just to obtain food.” He reiterated the international legal obligation of Israel to ensure humanitarian access and insisted that the entry of aid must be allowed at scale and without obstruction.
“The UN must be able to operate in Gaza safely and under conditions that respect humanitarian principles,” he stressed.
Guterres renewed his call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in the war-torn enclave and the unconditional release of all hostages. He added that only a political resolution could ensure lasting peace and security.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has intensified after more than 20 months of conflict and a near-total aid blockade over the past three months. While Israel recently reopened the Kerem Shalom crossing on a limited basis—allowing some UN aid to pass through—the arrival of GHF has shifted aid delivery away from traditional UN channels.
UN officials have made it clear they will not take part in any distribution efforts that violate the principles of neutrality, independence, humanity, and impartiality.
The UN’s humanitarian agency OCHA reported Monday that conditions in Gaza continue to deteriorate rapidly. It cited Sunday’s deadly aid incident as well as repeated attacks on medical infrastructure, including the bombing of the Noura Al Kaabi dialysis center in northern Gaza. Gaza’s health ministry says nearly 40% of dialysis patients have died since the war escalated in October 2023 due to lack of access to functioning treatment centers.
In addition, a new displacement order issued by Israel over the weekend has forced around 100,000 more people to flee their temporary shelters in Khan Younis and Deir Al-Balah, bringing the total number of displaced persons in Gaza since mid-March to over 640,000. The latest evacuation has also halted schooling for at least 8,000 children, OCHA noted.
Efforts to curb growing malnutrition continue despite massive supply shortages. Last week, humanitarian teams managed to distribute nutritional supplements to around 40,000 children. However, aid workers report widespread looting of supply trucks, largely driven by desperation, though some incidents are now being linked to organized theft.
Water scarcity also remains critical. A major pipeline in Deir Al-Balah remains out of service, and repeated requests by aid groups to repair it have been denied. Israel reportedly blocked five humanitarian missions on Monday alone, including attempts to deliver drinking water to displacement camps in Jabaliya.
Despite the reopening of Kerem Shalom crossing, OCHA said that humanitarian deliveries remain extremely limited due to tight controls on both the type and volume of goods permitted. Over the weekend, aid organizations managed to retrieve more than 300 truckloads of food and medical supplies from the Gaza side of the crossing. However, access remains uncertain and often depends on real-time security clearances and lulls in bombardments.
“Even when the crossing is technically open, the aid that makes it into Gaza is still just a fraction of what’s needed,” the UN agency warned.
