GENEVA, July 11, 2025 (WAFA) – At least 798 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces while attempting to access humanitarian aid in Gaza since the end of May, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reported on Friday.

A spokesperson for the office told reporters that 615 of those killed died in the vicinity of aid distribution centers operated by the so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation since May 27. An additional 183 were killed along routes used by aid convoys.

The alarming death toll comes amid growing international concern over the distribution mechanism currently in place in Gaza. Earlier this month, 169 humanitarian organizations called for an end to the U.S.- and Israeli-led aid distribution system managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, citing near-daily reports of Palestinians being shot and killed by Israeli forces while waiting for assistance near the foundation’s sites.

The organizations urged a return to the UN-led distribution mechanism that operated in Gaza until March, when Israel tightened its blockade on the territory. Since late May, aid has been gradually allowed into Gaza but is being distributed through the foundation, which many international aid groups have refused to cooperate with due to its links to the Israeli authorities.

In a joint statement, the aid organizations criticized the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation for taking over the distribution process, warning that its operations have led to dangerous and deadly conditions for civilians. Signatories to the statement included organizations from Europe, the U.S., and Israel, working in the fields of medical and food assistance, development, and human rights.

M.N