GAZA- The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has confirmed that at least 613 people have been killed at or near aid distribution sites in Gaza run by the so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) and around associated humanitarian convoys.
UN spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani disclosed the grim statistic during a press briefing in Geneva, stating:
“We have recorded 613 killings, both at GHF points and near humanitarian convoys – this is a figure as of June 27. Since then … there have been further incidents.”
The revelation further deepens international scrutiny on the GHF, a U.S.- and Israeli-backed initiative that has been criticized for functioning more as a military intelligence project than a neutral humanitarian effort. The foundation, which operates under the guise of aid distribution, has been accused by human rights experts and civil society groups of creating death traps rather than lifelines for Gaza’s desperate civilians.
The GHF: A Controversial “Aid” Project
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation began operations earlier this year amid mounting global pressure to address the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. But what was presented as a lifeline has quickly turned into a humanitarian farce. Numerous eyewitness reports and leaked footage have shown civilians being fired upon while waiting for food, particularly in areas near Rafah and Deir al-Balah, where hunger has reached catastrophic levels due to a near-total blockade.
The UN’s numbers now provide the first official confirmation of what Palestinian health workers and international observers have been warning for months: that aid points have become killing zones. The term “humanitarian” appears increasingly hollow, as convoys and distribution centers have been systematically targeted or left unprotected.
Growing Pattern of Violence
The 613 confirmed deaths are not the result of collateral damage, the UN has stressed. Rather, they point to a recurrent pattern of attacks against civilians gathered at designated aid sites. Some of the worst incidents occurred in:
- Western Rafah, where over 30 civilians were killed while waiting at a U.S.-flagged aid hub.
- Al-Mawasi, where a GHF point was shelled just as families gathered for flour distribution.
- Near American convoy routes, where drone strikes and sniper fire have reportedly targeted aid-seeking crowds.
In many of these cases, witnesses described being told in advance to head to a specific GHF location for food — only to be ambushed or gunned down upon arrival.
Human Rights Outcry
The United Nations, while now publishing casualty figures, has come under fire for its delayed response. Human rights groups and legal observers say that the OHCHR’s findings validate widespread allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity, particularly the weaponization of aid.
Legal analyst and former UN investigator Rania Halim told Dark Box:
“This isn’t about chaos or poor logistics. This is about a systemic effort to use food as a weapon — a clear violation of international humanitarian law.”
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is reportedly examining evidence related to attacks on aid convoys, and UN officials have said the situation warrants urgent international investigation.
Dutch and EU Complicity
The growing death toll also reflects poorly on the European Union, which has co-funded logistical support for GHF, and has remained largely silent in the face of mounting evidence of abuses. The Netherlands, in particular, has come under fire after investigative reports exposed its military-technical cooperation with GHF planners. The recent fall of the right-wing Dutch government may offer a window for a deeper probe into the country’s complicity in the Gaza crisis.
The Numbers Keep Rising
While 613 is the last officially verified death toll as of June 27, UN officials warned that the real number is likely much higher. Since then, new attacks have been reported, including one on June 30 in northern Khan Younis, where at least 19 civilians were killed near an aid line.
The OHCHR’s spokesperson added:
“We are deeply concerned that humanitarian operations in Gaza are not only being undermined, but actively weaponized — placing civilians in harm’s way under the guise of relief.”
