The United Kingdom has intensified its condemnation of Israeli military actions in the Gaza Strip, calling for an urgent, independent investigation into a series of deadly attacks on humanitarian aid distribution points. Addressing the House of Commons on Wednesday, Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer voiced outrage over what he described as repeated "mass casualty incidents," in which Palestinians were killed while attempting to access food and essential supplies.

"We are appalled by repeated reports of mass casualty incidents, in which Palestinians have been killed when trying to access aid sites in Gaza," Falconer stated, labeling "Israel's" aid policy "inhumane" and calling for full accountability.

Since late May, the Health Ministry in Gaza has reported at least 75 fatalities and over 400 injuries from Israeli strikes near humanitarian delivery areas. These sites, many operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), have become flashpoints amid the ongoing blockade and escalating military operations. On June 3 alone, at least 27 Palestinians were killed near a GHF site in Rafah, a location where 31 others were reportedly killed just days earlier. Witnesses say the victims were unarmed civilians waiting for food.

Despite Israeli claims that militants may have used the area for attacks, humanitarian organizations have rejected the justification, insisting the victims were not combatants. Widely circulated footage also appears to show Israeli forces firing into large crowds gathered for aid.

MASSACRE at US-backed Gaza aid site

Palestinian health authorities say at least 31 killed after Israel opens fire

Terrified crowds flee GHF aid site pic.twitter.com/5CrJZaqutb

— War Correspondent (@warDaniel47) June 2, 2025

Attacks near Gaza aid sites are war crimes

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, called the repeated assaults "unconscionable," warning that they may constitute war crimes. "Palestinians have been presented the grimmest of choices: die from starvation or risk being killed while trying to access the meager food being made available through Israel's militarised humanitarian assistance mechanism," he said. Türk urged an immediate and impartial investigation, stressing the need for accountability.

The backlash follows a May 19 announcement by "Israel's" Security Cabinet to resume humanitarian aid deliveries through existing channels. However, the implementation has remained tightly controlled by the Israeli military, with aid funneled to a limited number of militarized distribution points, mainly in southern Gaza. Human rights experts argue this framework endangers civilians and violates basic humanitarian norms.

Read more: US-backed Gaza aid plan relies on mercenaries, sparks outcry: FT

Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), accused Israeli authorities of weaponizing aid to forcibly displace Palestinians. "Aid must not be used as a bargaining chip," he warned, adding that restricting access to life-saving resources under military oversight transforms humanitarian relief into a mechanism of coercion.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has also weighed in, calling the situation in Gaza "appalling, counterproductive, and intolerable." His remarks echo growing international pressure on "Israel" to revise its aid strategy and ensure civilian protection, particularly as starvation looms and Gaza's health infrastructure collapses under the weight of sustained attacks.