At least 15 Palestinians were killed and over 100 wounded after Israeli tanks reportedly opened fire near a humanitarian aid distribution centre in Rafah, southern Gaza, early on Sunday, according to local medics and residents.
Thousands of civilians had gathered near a US-funded aid site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) around the Al-Alam roundabout at approximately 4:30 a.m. local time, when Israeli tanks approached and began firing, local journalist Mohammed Ghareeb told the BBC.
“The dead and wounded lay on the ground for a long time,” Ghareeb said. “Rescue crews could not access the area, which is under Israeli control. This forced residents to use donkey carts to transport victims to the field hospital.”
Footage shared by journalists and activists showed civilians using donkey carts to evacuate the dead and wounded to the Red Cross field hospital in al-Mawasi, as emergency teams were reportedly unable to reach the scene due to ongoing military activity.
A doctor at the Red Cross field hospital confirmed to reporters that 15 bodies and around 50 injured individuals had arrived at the facility. Many of the wounded are now being transferred to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis for further treatment.
Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP that more than 100 people had been injured in the shelling, adding, “At least 10 Palestinians were killed and more than 100 others… were wounded due to gunfire from Israeli vehicles towards thousands of citizens.”
The Israeli military has not yet responded to requests for comment from the BBC.
The incident comes amid intensifying humanitarian concerns in Rafah, where recent Israeli military operations have severely restricted access to food, aid, and emergency services. On Saturday, the World Food Programme reported scenes of chaos as desperate civilians rushed aid trucks in other parts of Gaza.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, backed by the US and Israel, has been distributing food and essentials at designated sites. The organisation says it has delivered two million meals across Gaza this week—a figure the BBC has not independently verified. Israel initiated the programme following accusations that Hamas was diverting aid, a charge the group denies.
The shelling comes as the US intensifies efforts to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Hamas has reportedly agreed to release 10 living Israeli hostages and the remains of 18 more in exchange for Palestinian prisoners but continues to demand a permanent ceasefire, full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and uninterrupted humanitarian access—conditions not included in the current proposal.
US Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff described Hamas’ response as “unacceptable and only takes us backward,” insisting the US-backed deal is “the only way we can close a 60-day ceasefire deal in the coming days.”
The humanitarian toll continues to rise, underscoring the urgent need for a resolution as Gaza’s civilians face growing insecurity and diminishing access to lifesaving aid.
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