32 Palestinians Killed as Israeli Forces Open Fire Near U.S.-Backed Aid Site in Rafah

On June 1, 2025, Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinians gathered near a U.S. backed food distribution point in al-Mawasi, Rafah, a zone previously declared a “safe area.” At least 32 civilians were killed, and more than 100 others were injured.

The crowd had assembled in the early morning hours, hoping to receive flour and basic supplies. Eyewitnesses report that Israeli tanks, drones, and naval forces targeted the area without warning, striking directly into the crowd of unarmed civilians.

The aid site was operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a controversial joint U.S.-Israeli initiative launched earlier this year to replace United Nations-led relief efforts. Unlike the UN or Red Crescent, GHF functions under Israeli military oversight and offers no neutral protections to civilians.

[Abdallah FS Alattar/Anadolu] Nasser Hospital, June 1st, 2025
[Abdallah FS Alattar/Anadolu] Rafah City, June 1st, 2025

“They began distributing aid, but suddenly quadcopter drones opened fire on the people, and tanks started shooting heavily. Several people were killed right in front of me,” the 33-year-old told AFP. “I ran and survived. Death follows you as long as you’re in Gaza.”

[Abdallah FS Alattar/Anadolu] Rafah City, June 1st, 2025

This marked the second attack on a GHF-linked aid site in a 24-hour period. In a separate incident earlier that same day, one person was killed and over a dozen injured in central Gaza near the Netzarim Corridor.

Local medics, journalists, and human rights groups are describing the Rafah attack as a massacre. Photographs from the scene show civilians transporting bodies on donkey carts and dragging the wounded to ambulances by hand. Many of the victims were young men and boys.

Since October 2023, over 54,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 124,000 injured, the majority of them women and children. This latest attack further highlights the growing risk faced by civilians simply trying to access food and humanitarian assistance.

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Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Contrast Magazine. michael@contrastmag.us

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