Gaza Strip – Israeli forces killed 62 Palestinians in Gaza since dawn on Saturday, August 2, 2025, with 38 of the deaths occurring at aid distribution sites run by the controversial U.S.- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), according to hospital sources cited by Al Jazeera. The attacks are part of a broader wave of violence targeting desperate Palestinians seeking food amid a worsening humanitarian crisis.
Despite Israel’s announcement on July 27 of “tactical pauses” in military operations to facilitate aid access, the killings continue unabated. The United Nations Human Rights Office reported that 105 Palestinians were killed while seeking food on Wednesday and Thursday alone, bringing the total number of aid seekers killed since late May to at least 1,373. Gaza’s Ministry of Health also reported that 169 Palestinians, including 93 children, have died from starvation or malnutrition since the onset of Israel’s military campaign in October 2023.
Witnesses and Palestinian officials have accused Israeli soldiers and American security contractors hired by the GHF of deliberately targeting aid seekers near distribution sites. The GHF, which has taken over much of Gaza’s aid distribution from the UN, has been criticized for prioritizing Israeli military objectives over humanitarian needs. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and other humanitarian groups have refused to cooperate with the GHF, citing its politicized operations.
Amid mounting international criticism, Israel has permitted limited airdrops of aid by countries including Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Spain, Germany, and France. However, humanitarian organizations, including UNRWA, have warned that these airdrops are grossly inadequate. Gaza’s Government Media Office reported that only 36 aid trucks entered the enclave on Saturday, far below the 600 trucks needed daily to address the population’s dire needs.
In a separate incident, the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) reported that an Israeli attack on its headquarters in Khan Younis killed one staff member and injured three others, sparking a fire on the building’s first floor. The PRCS condemned the attack, calling it a deliberate targeting of humanitarian workers.
Reporting from Deir el-Balah in central Gaza, Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary described the desperate situation: “In the markets, you barely find food. Whatever is available is very, very expensive, and Palestinians are still forced to risk their lives to get whatever they can get.” UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini stated on Saturday that Gaza is facing a “manmade famine” driven by efforts to replace the UN-led aid system with the GHF, which he called “politically motivated.” He emphasized that sidelining UNRWA is a “deliberate measure to collectively pressure and punish Palestinians for living in Gaza.”
UNICEF has warned that malnutrition in Gaza has surpassed famine thresholds, with 320,000 children at risk of acute malnutrition. “We are at a crossroads, and the choices made now will determine whether tens of thousands of children live or die,” said Ted Chaiban, UNICEF’s deputy executive director, following a recent visit to the region.
The ongoing violence and humanitarian crisis have drawn global condemnation, with calls for Israel to allow unimpeded land-based aid deliveries to avert further catastrophe in Gaza.
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