UN Rights Chief Denounces Fatal Gaza Assaults on Civilians Seeking Food
(MENAFN) Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, strongly condemned the fatal assaults on Gaza civilians trying to obtain food aid, calling the attacks “unconscionable” during a Tuesday statement.
He reported that for a third straight day, civilians were killed near an aid distribution point operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an organization backed by both the United States and Israel.
"This morning, we have received information that dozens more people were killed and injured," Turk stated.
Turk emphasized the dire predicament faced by Palestinians, forced to choose between starving or risking death while accessing the limited food provided through Israel’s militarized humanitarian aid system.
"Palestinians have been presented the grimmest of choices: die from starvation or risk being killed while trying to access the meagre food that is being made available through Israel's militarized humanitarian assistance mechanism," he said.
He warned that this aid delivery framework endangers lives and breaches international aid distribution standards, a concern the United Nations has repeatedly highlighted.
Calling for immediate probes into each deadly incident, Turk demanded accountability for those responsible.
He underscored that attacks targeting civilians are grave violations of international law and qualify as war crimes. Moreover, intentionally blocking access to food and other vital relief could also be considered war crimes.
Gaza health officials reported that Israeli military fire killed at least 24 Palestinians and wounded many more early Tuesday as they waited for humanitarian aid in Rafah, a southern Gaza city.
Eyewitnesses said the shootings occurred near the Al-Alam roundabout in western Rafah, where large crowds had gathered amid intensifying conflict and a deepening humanitarian emergency.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) clarified that the incident happened as the crowd moved along designated paths toward the aid site about 500 meters away. The IDF added that soldiers spotted several individuals veering from these routes and approaching troops.
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