Source: Al Jazeera | Date: July 5, 2025
At least 64 Palestinians have been killed in a series of Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip today, according to hospital officials and local sources. Among the dead are nine civilians who had gathered near a humanitarian aid distribution center in the northern city of Rafah, run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
Eyewitnesses said the victims were waiting in long queues for essential supplies—food, water, and medicine—when Israeli warplanes targeted the area. The attack has shocked aid workers and humanitarian organizations operating in the war-torn region.
“This was supposed to be a safe area,” said an aid volunteer from GHF. “People came here only to survive, and instead they were turned into targets. We saw children, women, and elderly being carried away—either injured or lifeless.”
A Trail of Death at Aid Centers
This strike marks another deadly chapter in Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza. According to health authorities, more than 743 Palestinians have now died near or around humanitarian aid distribution zones, including multiple incidents involving children.
Today’s bombing near GHF brings renewed fears that aid centers—once seen as neutral safe zones—are no longer protected under international norms.
Three of the nine civilians killed near Rafah were children under the age of 10, hospital staff confirmed. Videos from the scene, verified by journalists and human rights monitors, show charred tents, burned boxes of food, and blood-soaked clothing scattered across the sandy ground.
Israel’s Response
The Israeli military has not yet provided an official explanation for the Rafah bombing. A short statement issued by an Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson said only that “strikes were carried out against terrorist infrastructure” and claimed that Hamas fighters often use civilian areas as shields.
However, no evidence has been released to support the claim that militants were present at the aid hub at the time of the attack. Human rights groups have questioned the justification of such strikes in populated civilian zones.
Condemnation and International Reaction
The international community has reacted with growing concern. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) condemned the attack, stating, “No aid line should ever become a death line. Attacking civilians who are seeking food and medicine is a blatant violation of international humanitarian law.”
Global protests and diplomatic pressure on Israel are mounting. Several European countries have called for an independent investigation into the strikes. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have echoed those calls, urging immediate accountability.
A Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
The people of Gaza continue to suffer under conditions described by the World Food Programme as “catastrophic.” More than 2.3 million people remain trapped in Gaza with limited access to water, electricity, and essential goods. Airstrikes have destroyed roads, hospitals, and communication lines, further complicating relief efforts.
Aid agencies warn that unless safe corridors and protected zones are respected, the death toll among civilians will continue to rise sharply.
Report filed by Wsn WorldScope. Original reporting from Al Jazeera.