Wednesday, 27 May 2026
UN: 798 killed while receiving aid in Gaza
GENEVA (News Wires) – The UN human rights office announced Friday that it has documented at least 798 deaths at aid distribution sites managed by the US- and Israeli-supported Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), as well as near humanitarian convoys organized by other groups, including the United Nations.
The GHF employs private American security and logistics firms to deliver supplies into Gaza, largely bypassing a UN-coordinated distribution system. Israel contends the UN-led approach allowed militants to siphon off aid, according to Reuters.
The United Nations has criticized the GHF’s strategy, labeling it “inherently unsafe” and a breach of humanitarian neutrality.
“As of July 7, we have recorded 798 deaths—615 of them near Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distribution points, and 183 that likely occurred along aid convoy routes,” said OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani during a news briefing in Geneva.
GHF started distributing food parcels in the Strip at the end of May and maintains that no fatalities have occurred at their distribution centers.
Meanwhile, indirect ceasefire negotiations continue in Qatar between Israeli officials and the Palestinian delegation, AFP reports.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that a permanent ceasefire could be possible if Hamas surrenders its weapons and relinquishes control in Gaza.
On the ground, Gaza’s civil defense agency reported new Israeli airstrikes, including one on a school sheltering displaced people that killed five.
Due to restricted media access and dangerous conditions in Gaza, AFP has not been able to independently confirm the casualty figures reported by the agency and other sources.
In southern Gaza, witnesses described persistent attacks and severe destruction, with Israeli tanks spotted near Khan Yunis.
“The situation remains dire—heavy gunfire, sporadic airstrikes, artillery barrages, and ongoing demolition of both displacement camps and farmland south of Khan Yunis,” a witness said.
Netanyahu visited Washington this week, meeting twice with US President Donald Trump to discuss ceasefire proposals. At home, he continues to face mounting pressure to end the war amid rising military casualties.
President Trump, seeking a breakthrough, has indicated through his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff that a deal might be reached by the end of the week.
On Thursday, Netanyahu signaled Israel’s readiness to negotiate a lasting agreement with Hamas once a temporary ceasefire is in place, but insisted that Hamas must first disarm and relinquish authority over Gaza.
He warned that failure to comply with these conditions would result in further conflict.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has also noted that the Doha talks may last a few more days, with disagreements remaining over the number of Palestinian prisoners to be exchanged for hostages.
For its part, Hamas is demanding "real guarantees" for a lasting ceasefire and unrestricted aid delivery to help Gaza’s population of over two million, many of whom are in desperate need.
Senior Hamas official Bassem Naim told AFP that the group wants a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and will not accept any Israeli attempts to confine Palestinians to isolated enclaves.
Since the conflict began, at least 57,762 Palestinians—mostly civilians—have been killed, according to the health ministry in Hamas-controlled Gaza.