Death toll from US-Israeli aid mechanism in Gaza rises to 17: Health Ministry

At least 17 people have died, 86 have been injured, and five are missing due to the US-Israeli aid delivery mechanism, the territory's Health Ministry said on Saturday.

In a statement, the ministry said: “The number of aid-related martyrs has risen to 17, following the death of one person on Thursday and five more on Friday.”

The ministry added that “more than 86 people were also injured in areas designated for aid distribution.”

It further noted that five people have been documented as missing at the aid distribution center in Rafah city, in the southern part of the Strip.

The system, rolled out Tuesday under the so-called “Gaza Humanitarian Foundation,” a body supported by both Israel and the US but operating outside the United Nations' humanitarian framework, has triggered widespread criticism.

Eyewitnesses and local officials report that Israeli forces have repeatedly opened fire on hungry civilians gathered at aid distribution points, killing and injuring many.

The Gaza-based government, Palestinian factions, and international organizations have condemned the mechanism as lacking basic humanitarian standards and endangering civilian lives.

The Israeli military has designated four aid distribution sites, three in southern Gaza and one in the central Netzarim corridor, which separates the north and south. Palestinians who visited these locations, however, report being met with bullets rather than relief.

The aid mechanism, promoted as a solution to Gaza's famine, is being widely criticized as a tool of control and humiliation.

Observers and survivors say it not only fails to meet humanitarian standards but actively endangers lives, forcing civilians to choose between the lethal risks of approaching Israeli-controlled aid centers or enduring hunger in devastated neighborhoods.

Since March 2, Israel has kept all border crossings shut, cutting off the entry of food, medicine, fuel, and other essential supplies for Gaza's 2.4 million residents.

Israel has pursued a devastating offensive in Gaza since October 2023, killing nearly 54,400 Palestinians, most of them women and children. Aid agencies have warned about the risk of famine among the enclave's more than 2 million population.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.​​​​​​​

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war crimes against civilians in the enclave.