Palestinian Territory – The international community must act immediately and decisively to compel Israel to end its inhumane aid distribution mechanism in Gaza, following today's massacre near a US-backed aid centre south of Rafah, where Israeli forces killed or injured over 220 starving civilians.
Euro-Med Monitor's field team documented Israeli forces opening fire on thousands of civilians gathered at dawn today, Sunday, 1 June 2025, in Tel al-Sultan, Rafah, near an aid distribution centre established by the Israeli army. Preliminary data indicate that the attack killed at least 31 civilians, including two women, and injured more than 200 others. Several remain missing.
The death toll is expected to rise due to the high number of critical injuries and the severe collapse of the healthcare system caused by the blockade and Israeli targeting of medical facilities.
Occupation forces began shelling the area indiscriminately, turning the scene into a horrific massacre
M. S., eyewitness
The Israeli army and the US-backed organisation directed Palestinian civilians to gather at the site to receive aid, instructing them to wait until 6:00 a.m. to pass through inspection gates and collect aid packages. As they waited, they were targeted with direct fire from quadcopter drones, followed by tank shelling. Tear gas canisters were also fired into the starving crowd by members of the US-backed organisation, causing dozens of casualties and triggering a deadly stampede as people tried to escape the gunfire.
Eyewitnesses interviewed by Euro-Med Monitor reported that the US-backed organisation brings only limited quantities of aid while directing tens of thousands of Palestinians to a high-risk distribution area, where Israeli forces open fire with live ammunition and tank shells. Those who survive and reach the site often find the aid insufficient, forcing desperate competition over the scarce supplies.
In a testimony to Euro-Med Monitor, M. S. said: "Hundreds of people had gathered near Al-Alam Roundabout, northwest of Rafah, since 2:00 a.m. Suddenly, a quadcopter arrived and broadcast: 'For your safety, approaching the chutes (inspection gates) is prohibited before 6:00 a.m.'"
"Despite the warning, a large group moved toward the road leading to the distribution point, which was supposed to be safe," he added. "A quadcopter then launched and opened fire directly on the crowd, injuring many. It later hit an electricity pole and crashed. Immediately afterwards, the occupation forces began shelling the area indiscriminately, turning the scene into a horrific massacre. At the same time, American security personnel fired tear gas at those in the back to disperse them and keep them away."
In another testimony, F. A. said: "In spite of the massacre, and driven by hunger, hundreds of people remained in the area. At 6:00 a.m., a quadcopter arrived and broadcast: 'Head towards the chutes.'"
The witness added, "There was a massive crowd. I was in the middle, and when we reached the distribution area, there were only eight pallets of aid boxes compared to the huge number of people. The crowd scrambled to grab the boxes, with no order or system. We stayed in place, hoping more aid would arrive, but instead, we were told to leave and come back the next morning."
A similar scene unfolded this morning near an aid distribution centre north of the central governorate, where one civilian was killed and 26 others were injured.
Israel's continued use of an aid distribution mechanism that places distribution centres in dangerous areas and delivers limited aid without an organised system suggests a deliberate policy to sow chaos and incite conflict among a population that has been starved for three months.
Initial reports indicate that since last Tuesday, 41 people have been killed near distribution centres, around 300 injured, and several remain missing.
The chaos at the aid distribution centre yesterday reinforces earlier concerns about the Israeli mechanism's inability to deliver humanitarian assistance effectively. Hundreds of existing centres cannot be replaced by just four sites that resemble military detention facilities and lack even the basic infrastructure to receive civilians and distribute aid safely and efficiently.
These incidents should not be dismissed as procedural issues fixable through operational adjustments. They must be understood within the broader context of the grave consequences of the Israeli military's control over humanitarian aid. It is inconceivable that the same entity accused of committing genocide for nearly 20 months can be entrusted with improving the humanitarian conditions of the very population it targets.
An immediate end to the Israeli aid distribution mechanism in the Gaza Strip is essential, as it has become a site of field executions and fails to meet even the most basic humanitarian standards. Euro-Med Monitor stresses the need to reinstate the previous UN-led mechanism to ensure the safe and effective delivery of aid to Gaza's population.
All states and relevant actors must exert maximum pressure on Israel to prevent it from bypassing or undermining the work of experienced UN agencies in the Gaza Strip. Euro-Med Monitor underscores the critical and impartial role these agencies play in delivering humanitarian aid and coordinating the response for over 2.2 million Palestinians facing death and starvation.
