Palestinians in Gaza reported being fired upon by both local gunmen and Israeli forces near an aid distribution site in Tal al-Sultan, Rafah, on Monday, leaving at least six dead and 99 injured.
Witnesses said Palestinian armed men—appearing to coordinate with Israeli troops—opened fire on civilians waiting for aid, marking the first such incident involving local militants. The Israeli military said it was investigating the reports.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), backed by Israel and the US, confirmed that its Tal al-Sultan site remained closed on Monday, while two other centres operated without incident. However, survivors described masked gunmen shooting at civilians.
Hisham Saeed Salem, an eyewitness, told BBC Arabic: “We thought they were aid volunteers, but suddenly they started shooting. Even those who got food boxes were targeted.” Another survivor, Mohammed Sakout, said bullets narrowly missed him as people behind him were killed.
At Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, Mohammed Kabaga, wounded by gunfire, told AP: “Masked men organising the line suddenly shot at us. I was hit and collapsed.”
The GHF, which uses US private security contractors, stated that its two operational sites distributed aid safely. A spokesperson dismissed reports of violence near its centres, though a Facebook post later acknowledged the Tal al-Sultan closure due to “crowd chaos.”
John Acree, GHF’s interim director, said over 11 million meals had been delivered in two weeks “without major incidents.” However, Gaza’s health ministry reported 127 deaths and 1,287 injuries near aid zones in the same period.
The GHF’s system, designed to bypass UN channels, has drawn criticism from aid groups, who argue it violates neutrality principles. The UN warns of “catastrophic hunger” under Israel’s blockade, partially eased three weeks ago.
Israel claims the GHF prevents Hamas from diverting aid—an allegation Hamas denies. The conflict has now claimed 54,927 Palestinian lives.