Israeli Forces Reportedly Kill Six Palestinians in Gaza While They Sought Humanitarian Aid, Officials Claim

Local health officials reported that Israeli forces killed six Palestinians near an aid distribution center in southern Gaza on Saturday night. This incident marks the fourth such event within a week. The fatalities occurred in west Rafah as individuals gathered in hopes of receiving assistance, according to Marwan Al-Hams, the director of field hospitals for the Palestinian Health Ministry.

The victims have not yet been identified, and NBC News has not been able to independently verify the casualty figures. The World Health Organization considers the Health Ministry’s data to be reliable. In response to the incident, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged that their troops fired “warning shots” at what they described as “several suspects” in the Tel al-Sultan refugee camp, who were perceived to be a potential threat.

The IDF stated that despite prior warnings about the area being an active combat zone, the suspects approached IDF personnel in a manner that could endanger them. The troops attempted to deter the suspects verbally before resorting to warning shots. The IDF did not provide detailed information regarding the threat posed by the suspects and did not accept responsibility for the reported fatalities, while confirming their awareness of the casualty reports.

This incident is part of a recent pattern, as local health officials have documented three other occurrences within the week where Palestinians were killed near aid distribution sites. On Sunday, more than 30 individuals were reported killed and hundreds injured in Rafah. Witnesses indicated they were caught in crossfire while waiting for aid.

Previous days have seen similar escalations, including three Palestinians killed during a food distribution and at least 27 deaths the following day near an aid location. Videos from the scene depicted the urgent medical crisis as the injured were transported to local hospitals. The IDF reiterated that its forces were responding to perceived threats and acknowledged ongoing investigations into the casualties.