Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
A recently published video by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has captured moments of intense gunfire erupting near a food distribution center in Gaza, as dozens of Palestinians stood in line awaiting vital aid.
The footage, released on July 30, documents a now-frequent and deadly phenomenon in Gaza: civilians being targeted near humanitarian relief sites. The video has triggered international alarm and renewed scrutiny over Israel’s military conduct during food aid operations in the besieged enclave.
In a statement issued Friday, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) confirmed that 1,373 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since May 27, 2025, while waiting for or attempting to access humanitarian assistance. The OHCHR’s field office in the occupied Palestinian territories reported that 859 of these fatalities occurred near Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distribution centers, while 514 were killed along known aid convoy routes areas where civilians regularly gather in hopes of receiving food.
“These are not isolated incidents,” the OHCHR said, adding that the majority of the killings were carried out by the Israeli military, despite clear identification of the aid convoys and civilian gathering points.
Recent Escalation Despite “Tactical Pause”
Disturbingly, the statement also revealed that in just two days—July 30 and 31—UN teams documented 105 Palestinian deaths and at least 680 injuries along food convoy routes and near aid centers in northern Gaza, southern Khan Younis, and the central regions of Gaza and Rafah.
These casualties occurred despite an Israeli military announcement on July 27 of a “limited pause in operations” to facilitate humanitarian access. According to UN officials, shelling and live fire have continued unabated along convoy routes and near key distribution sites operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a U.S.- and Israel-backed body currently managing much of the territory’s aid delivery infrastructure.
“Even after the announced operational pause, the Israeli military has continued to fire on or near areas where aid distribution is taking place,” the OHCHR noted.
Mounting Death Toll and Humanitarian Collapse
The deaths reported by the UN come amid a spiraling humanitarian catastrophe. Gaza has endured a near-total blockade for over 22 months, and aid access has been heavily restricted, particularly since March. Civilians are often forced to risk their lives by traveling through contested or militarized zones to reach food convoys or distribution points.
International rights groups and UN agencies have long criticized Israel for undermining the delivery of humanitarian assistance. Both Human Rights Watch and Médecins Sans Frontières have labeled the Israeli army’s tactics as “deliberate obstruction of humanitarian relief” and “inhuman treatment of civilians.”
Israel has defended its actions by citing the need to secure routes and prevent armed groups from infiltrating convoys. However, human rights monitors argue that the IDF has failed to make necessary distinctions between combatants and non-combatants, a legal obligation under international humanitarian law.
International Outcry Grows
The UN video and the accompanying casualty data are expected to intensify international calls for an independent investigation into Israel’s conduct in Gaza. Several governments, including members of the EU and Arab League, have already expressed outrage over the mounting civilian death toll and the deteriorating conditions for aid workers.
“This footage underscores the absolute urgency of securing safe humanitarian corridors,” said a spokesperson for the UN’s Humanitarian Affairs Office. “No person should risk death simply for standing in line for food.”
As famine looms and Gaza’s infrastructure lies in ruins, the risk to civilians especially children continues to escalate. UN agencies estimate that over one million Gazans are now at risk of starvation, with malnutrition and waterborne disease spreading rapidly.
The UN has reiterated its demand for immediate and unimpeded access to Gaza for all humanitarian agencies and for Israel to comply fully with international humanitarian law, particularly the protection of civilians and aid workers.
Unless meaningful action is taken to protect humanitarian operations, officials warn, Gaza’s humanitarian crisis could become an even darker chapter in an already devastating war.
