UN Condemns Israeli Actions in Gaza After Aid-Seekers and Humanitarian Workers Killed

GENEVA/GAZA, June 16, 2025 — The United Nations has sharply condemned recent incidents in Gaza where Palestinians, including aid-seekers and humanitarian workers, were killed during operations near food distribution centres. These incidents form part of a broader pattern the UN describes as using “lethal distribution systems” that undermine core humanitarian principles.

Key Incident:
At least 40 Palestinians were reportedly killed by Israeli gunfire near a food distribution site in Rafah managed by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). Over 200 others were injured, according to local medics.

UN Reaction:
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk described the violence as “horrifying, unconscionable suffering.” He called for urgent global action to pressure all parties into halting hostilities and allowing safe humanitarian access.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has denounced the operation as a “lethal distribution system,” warning of a “systematic” pattern of aid obstruction and attacks on humanitarian personnel. He insisted aid must remain “non-negotiable” and delivered impartially.

Context and Escalation:
This latest shooting follows a rising trend: at least 37 other Palestinians had been killed earlier while seeking food near GHF or UN-operated aid services in Gaza. Humanitarian agencies have struggled to operate under militarised conditions and a tight blockade supported by Israeli authorities .

UN experts, including Special Rapporteur Michael Fakhri, have urged the deployment of armed UN peacekeepers to protect aid convoys in conflict zones like Gaza and Sudan, warning that without stronger protection “a dystopia” could unfold.