The United Nations Human Rights Office has condemned the ongoing killings of Palestinians at aid distribution points across Gaza, calling the situation “unacceptable.” According to spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani, at least 798 Palestinians were killed while attempting to access food between May 27 and July 7.

Shamdasani stated that 615 of those deaths occurred near aid centers operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), while 183 were killed along the routes of humanitarian convoys. Most of the victims died from gunshot injuries.

“This is unacceptable, and it’s continuing,” Shamdasani told reporters in Geneva last Friday. “People are being forced to choose between getting shot or getting fed.”

UN and WHO condemn attacks on aid seekers

Shamdasani confirmed that her office is investigating a recent Israeli airstrike in Deir al-Balah that reportedly killed at least 15 Palestinians, including women and children, in front of a clinic run by Project Hope, an organization affiliated with UNICEF.

UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell described the killing of families seeking life-saving aid as “unconscionable.”

Asked about the rationale behind such attacks, Shamdasani raised serious concerns about violations of international humanitarian law, particularly regarding the principles of distinction and proportionality. “A large proportion of those killed in Gaza are women and children,” she said.

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WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier joined in condemning the killings. “I’m slowly running out of words to describe the scenario,” he said. “This is far beyond unacceptable.”

Fuel and medical crisis deepens

Lindmeier also commented on the rare delivery of 75,000 liters of fuel to Gaza last week, the first in over 130 days. While welcomed, he warned that humanitarian access should not be treated as a special occurrence.

“There should be a reoccurring delivery into Gaza to keep the lifelines open, to supply the ambulances, the hospitals, the water desalination plants, the bakeries,” he said. He noted that 94% of Gaza’s hospitals are now damaged or destroyed, and that civilians are being pushed into increasingly smaller spaces.

Healthcare in the time of genocide. Inside "Israel's" systematic assault on #Gaza's health workers and facilities in numbers. pic.twitter.com/m9XyG7yprT

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) May 7, 2025

Lindmeier expressed hope for a breakthrough in ongoing ceasefire talks, stating, “Peace is the best medicine, and opening the doors remains the only viable option.”

Meanwhile, according to the latest figures published by the Health Ministry in Gaza, the total number of Palestinians killed while attempting to secure food and who reached hospitals has risen to 844 martyrs, with more than 5,604 others injured.

IOF soldiers admit to the deliberate targeting of aid seekers

Multiple investigations and eyewitness accounts have confirmed that occupation forces have intentionally targeted Palestinians gathering near food distribution sites in Gaza.

A Haaretz exposé revealed that Israeli soldiers were directly ordered to fire at unarmed Palestinians waiting at or approaching aid centers. Soldiers admitted to opening fire at civilians without provocation, often before aid centers opened or as people waited behind makeshift barriers. The stated aim was to drive them away, even when no threat was present.

Separately, an Associated Press investigation, corroborated by interviews with American contractors operating at GHF sites, found that live ammunition, stun grenades, and pepper spray were routinely used against Palestinians seeking aid. Videos reviewed by AP showed armed personnel celebrating after hitting unarmed individuals, while contractors described scenes of indiscriminate violence. One contractor said, “There are innocent people being hurt. Badly. Needlessly.”