Gaza (TheCOWNews Digital)A tragic incident unfolded in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis region on Tuesday as Israeli tank fire struck a large crowd of Palestinians waiting for food aid, killing at least 59 people and injuring 221 others. According to local medical sources, over 20 of the wounded are in critical condition. This marks one of the deadliest single-day attacks in recent weeks, reflecting the dire humanitarian situation in the besieged enclave.
Eyewitnesses reported that thousands of desperate residents had gathered along the eastern main road of Khan Younis, hoping to receive flour and other basic supplies from incoming aid trucks. As the crowd surged forward, Israeli tanks reportedly fired two shells directly into the crowd.
Alaa, an eyewitness receiving treatment at Nasser Hospital, described the moment: “They let us move forward and then suddenly fired at us. These people were only trying to get food for their children. Now, their bodies are lying in pieces. No one is showing mercy.”
Disturbing videos circulating on social media show dozens of lifeless bodies scattered on the streets. With ambulance services overwhelmed and hospitals short on capacity, civilians used cars, carts, and even donkey-drawn wagons to transport the dead and wounded to medical facilities.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the incident in a brief statement, saying, “A crowd formed near an aid truck in the Khan Younis area, where IDF forces were deployed. As the crowd advanced, some individuals were injured. An investigation is ongoing.” However, human rights groups have condemned the act, calling it a blatant violation of international humanitarian law.
In addition to the Khan Younis massacre, Israeli airstrikes and gunfire in other parts of Gaza claimed the lives of another 14 Palestinians on Tuesday, bringing the death toll to 73 in a single day.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, since late May, at least 397 Palestinians have been killed and more than 3,000 injured while attempting to access humanitarian aid. Aid delivery in Gaza has become perilously restricted, even as starvation looms over much of the population.
Israel recently allowed limited aid convoys under a new American-Israeli initiative, the “Gaza Humanitarian Foundation” (GHF). This body is tasked with distributing aid in a few pre-designated zones under direct Israeli military oversight. While GHF claims to have safely distributed over 3 million meals across four zones, local officials and international organizations—including the United Nations—criticize the system as inadequate, dangerous, and contrary to humanitarian principles.
UN representatives have warned that the militarization of aid distribution risks further civilian casualties and obstructs neutral humanitarian access. Gaza authorities argue that the sites controlled by GHF have become “death traps,” with hundreds killed just trying to reach basic food supplies.
Amid the ongoing humanitarian disaster, Gazans are also watching closely the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. Some Palestinians have shared footage of Iranian missile attacks on Israeli cities, expressing a grim sense of poetic justice. “Now they taste the fear we’ve lived with for 20 months,” read one viral post.
