UN Secretary General Says Hundreds Of Gazans Died While Looking For Unreceived Food

Gazans while waiting for aid distribution by GHF. (Twitter/@IhabHassane)

JAKARTA - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the deaths of Gaza Strip Palestinians while seeking food were unacceptable, calling for an investigation.

More than 300 people were killed and 2.00 injured while trying to get help distributed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) which began operations with support from the United States and Israel on May 28, despite opposition from the United Nations and international aid groups.

The incident of violence at the aid distribution site continues to repeat itself. Most recently, 30 Gazans were killed by gunfire by Israeli soldiers at distribution sites in northwest Gaza on Tuesday night, quoted from WAFA June 18.

"Secretary General condemns the loss of civilian lives and injuries in Gaza, where he was once again fired at while looking for food," UN deputy spokesman General Farhan Haq said at UN headquarters in New York, United States, quoted by Al Jazeera.

"This is unacceptable," added Farhan Haq.

"As of yesterday, 338 people have died and more than 2,800 people have been injured while trying to access food, food near the distribution site," he said.

The GHF operates in line with the lifting of a total blockade for nearly three months against its essential medicines, food and goods that cause fears of a hunger crisis and population health in the Palestinian enclave.

The United Nations and aid groups have refused to cooperate with the GHF, fearing the agency will prioritize Israel's military targets over humanitarian needs.

The Israeli military said the shootings were fired as a warning to what it called suspects approaching their position.

As of yesterday, the death toll from Palestine since the new conflict in Gaza broke out on October 7, 2023, has reached 55,493 people, the majority of children and women, while the injured reached 129,320 people.