By Sulagna Halder
The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reported on Friday, 11 July 2025, that at least 798 Palestinians were killed between 27 May and 7 July while attempting to obtain food or water aid in Gaza. The staggering figure includes 615 fatalities near sites operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which is backed by the United States and Israel, and 183 deaths along aid convoy routes.
OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani told reporters: “We’ve recorded now 798 killings, including 615 in the vicinity of the GHF sites,” emphasising that gunshot wounds were the primary cause of death. The UN described the GHF’s operations as “unsafe” and lacking in humanitarian neutrality, contending that the model, outside the UN aid system, facilitated lethal incidents around distribution hubs.
The GHF has rejected the UN’s figures, issuing a statement labelling them “false and misleading”, and asserting that the deadliest events were linked to UN convoys, not its own aid centres. Meanwhile, Israeli forces maintain that they aim to prevent Hamas from seizing supplies, stating that they implemented new troop instructions “following lessons learned” after earlier reviews.
Mortality has spiked amid a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. According to Medecins Sans Frontieres, cases of severe acute malnutrition have surged to record levels, with certain clinics seeing numbers triple since May. One centre reported an increase from 293 cases in May to 983 in early July, with over 700 pregnant or breastfeeding women and nearly 500 children now receiving emergency nutritional support. Rising food costs like sugar at US $766 per kilo and flour at $30, have driven families to subsist on a single meal of rice or lentils each day.
Compounding the crisis, the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini declared: “Under our watch, Gaza has become the graveyard of children and starving people”. He added:
“Their choice is between two deaths: starvation or being shot at.”
Aid distribution has been chaotic and often deadly. Incidents include deaths at both GHF and UN sites, with witnesses describing Israeli forces firing on crowds around distribution hubs. Some 10 people reportedly died on Friday, 11 July, while waiting in line for aid near Rafah, according to Gaza civil defence.
International reaction has been swift. The European Union is exploring legal measures against Israel for potential violations of international law, while several countries, including the UK, have imposed sanctions on Israeli ministers. Diplomatic efforts to broker a ceasefire are ongoing, though UN agencies say access and safety must improve before millions more can receive essential aid.
The UN’s revelation of 798 deaths in less than six weeks highlights the growing danger facing Gaza’s civilians. Calls for impartial, secure humanitarian corridors grow ever more urgent amid worsening hunger and persistent violence.
