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Dozens of Palestinians have been killed near aid distribution compounds in recent days, prompting renewed criticism of the controversial new Israeli-backed aid system for the Gaza Strip.

Only one of the four compounds has opened every day since 27 May, when the new system was launched.

It lies in the far south-west of the Gaza Strip, near the ruins of a town known as Swedish Village.

In just eight days, at least 64 people have been killed while seeking aid at the Swedish Village compound, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

What is the new aid system?

Until recently, aid into Gaza was managed by the United Nations, which would distribute food and medicine from hundreds of points around the territory.

Israel says this aid was being routinely diverted towards Hamas, though it has not provided evidence of this.

Under the new system implemented by Israel and the new US-based organisation Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, aid is supposed to be distributed from four militarised compounds – three of which are in the far south of the Gaza Strip.

The project has been criticised by the UN and the charity sector, who say it puts Palestinians at risk and forces them to travel many miles to receive aid.

That includes 27 who were reportedly killed on Tuesday morning, according to local officials and the nearby Red Cross field hospital.

The IDF said its forces had opened fire on “individual suspects who advanced towards troops” after “deviating from the designated access routes” near the distribution centre, and said it was looking into reports of casualties.

“Warning shots were fired approximately half a kilometre away from the humanitarian aid distribution site toward several suspects who advanced toward the troops in such a way that posed a threat to them,” a spokesperson said.

“After the suspects failed to retreat, additional shots were directed near a few individual suspects who advanced towards the troops.”

The shootings happened at the al Alam roundabout, around 1km from the aid compound, and began at around 4am, according to witnesses.

In the footage below, verified by Sky News, gunfire can be heard as hundreds of Palestinians walk southwards towards the aid compound.

The attack on Tuesday was the fourth to take place at al Alam roundabout, and the third in three days.

Two days earlier, on 1 June, at least 31 people were reportedly killed. Sky News has verified footage, too graphic to publish, that shows eight bodies scattered on the beach near al Alam.

Eye-witness testimonies suggest a similar cause – that some Palestinians strayed from the indicated route, or advanced towards the compound too early, and were shot by the IDF.

“I didn’t expect to see such a large number of people in the distribution area,” wrote one man in a social media post.

“Tanks were firing at the ground […] to try to scare people and prevent them from approaching al Alam, but people did not listen to it and began to move forward.”

The IDF says its troops did not fire at civilians near or within the aid compound, and has said reports to the contrary are false.

Later that day, the GHF released undated footage which it said showed that aid was distributed at the site without incident.

Sky News was not able to verify the footage, which had been edited, but it showed the inside of an aid compound rather than the roundabout area where the shooting is alleged to have taken place.

The Israeli military later published footage which it said showed gunmen shooting at people collecting aid.

On Tuesday, Israeli deputy foreign minister Sharren Haskel said this footage “shows some of Hamas’s tactics to actually try and prevent Gazan civilians from coming and collecting aid from the Gaza Humanitarian Fund collection centres and humanitarian distribution points”.

However, Sky News has confirmed the footage was taken in a Khan Younis neighbourhood far from any GHF distribution compound.

Why is the new aid system so dangerous?

Sky News has analysed video from the area, heard eye-witness testimony, combed social media and spoken to Gaza aid experts to understand what has been happening.

In an official GHF WhatsApp channel on Tuesday morning, Palestinians complained about the rush to secure packages inside the distribution centre and the failure of the guards to maintain order.

“Literally, in less than five minutes it was finished,” said one user who attended the Swedish Village site that morning.

“I went there four times and did not receive anything,” said another. “I entered at the appointed time and found people upset, having gone in two hours early. God knows how.”

Palestinians carry aid supplies they received from the U.S.-backed GHF, in the central Gaza Strip, 29 May. Pic: Reuters
Image:
Palestinians carry aid supplies they received from the U.S.-backed GHF, in the central Gaza Strip, 29 May. Pic: Reuters

Sam Rose, acting director of UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, in Gaza, told Sky News the lack of order at the distribution sites means Palestinians have little incentive to obey the rules if that means they will be pushed to the back of the queue.

“People are just grabbing whatever food parcels they can get their hands on,” he says.

When UNRWA was in charge of distributing aid, Rose says, “we would do orderly distributions where a certain number of people are called and invited to receive their food every day at hundreds of distribution points”.

“When they receive that food, they were counted off, and those details were then shared with other food providers to ensure that food is distributed as equitably and as comprehensively as possible,” he says.

“We’re seeing nothing of that. We’re basically just seeing riots.”

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UNRWA director decries new Gaza aid system

Instructions have been chaotic and contradictory

Sky News analysis suggests that issues with aid distribution are being compounded by poor communication from the group organising the sites, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).

The group’s website has no information about opening times or where to find this information.

A Facebook page under the GHF’s name, marked as “verified” by Meta, appears to be the only official channel for updates.

It has just 3.8 thousand followers, with its posts regularly receiving fewer than 50 engagements.

Even those closely following the page to learn when and where to find aid rarely receive more than an hour’s notice.

On Sunday, Monday and Tuesday this week, the opening of the Swedish Village site was announced after 4am, with the site due to open at 5am.

The instructions given to Palestinians are also confusing and contradictory.

In the post on Tuesday morning, for instance, the GHF instructed Palestinians that they were not allowed to proceed south past the al Alam roundabout until 5am.

The accompanying map indicated the point at which Palestinians were to stop, along with coordinates. However, this was not the al Alam roundabout, but a junction 740 metres earlier.

GHF flyer
Image:
GHF flyer

It is not clear whether the IDF expected Palestinians to stop at the roundabout or at the indicated location.

Eyewitnesses later reported that the IDF shot and killed 27 Palestinians near the roundabout. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said that those killed were shot “after moving beyond the designated safe corridor”.

The new system has only provided 13% of the necessary meals

Problems with crowds at the new aid distribution centres began on the first day they came into operation.

On 27 May, the Swedish Village aid compound was overwhelmed by a crowd of Palestinians seeking aid.

The crowd, which had been contained inside a fenced entrance area, was able to easily topple the fences and scale the sand berms which surround the compound.

Analysis of footage from that day shows that the fences do not appear to be fixed to concrete foundations, making them relatively flimsy.

“As long as two million people try to come every day, there will definitely be massacres,” said one user in the GHF WhatsApp group.

“Of course, the reason is due to the idea that there is only one point for receiving – other points must be opened.”

The UN estimates that half of Gaza’s 2.1 million people live in the north of the territory, yet the GHF has not set up any aid distribution sites in this region.

It has three sites in the far south of the Gaza Strip, and one in the central region. The latter has only opened once so far, for a single day.

UNRWA’s Sam Rose says this set-up makes it “inevitable” that “thousands upon thousands” of people would seek aid at the Swedish Village compound, which has been the only open compound in recent days.

“[The GHF] are simply not able to cope with the crowds, with the complete desperation of people who have absolutely no choice, if they want to get food for themselves and their family, but to go through this,” he says.

“Wave upon wave of people are seeking the only means to get food, and this is the inevitable consequence of it.

“No entity with any clue about distribution of aid would have proposed such an inhumane system.”

Palestinians open a box containing food and humanitarian aid packages delivered by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a U.S.-backed organization approved by Israel, in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Image:
Palestinians open a box containing aid delivered by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Pic: (AP/Abdel Kareem Hana)

This issue is compounded by the limited quantities of food available.

Even by its numbers, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is feeding only a fraction of Gaza’s population.

On Monday, the organisation said it had distributed 5.9 million meals during its first week in operation, or an average of 840,000 per day.

Box containing food and humanitarian aid packages delivered by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, May 29, 2025. Pic: AP/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Image:
Box containing food and humanitarian aid packages delivered by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, May 29, 2025. Pic: AP/Abdel Kareem Hana)

The organisation has previously said three meals are enough to feed one person per day, meaning over the past week, it has distributed enough meals to feed just 13% of Gaza’s population.

“It seems that the group’s goal is to make us look like a barbaric people,” said one Palestinian in the GHF WhatsApp.

“If there was a system, everyone would get what they want, and things would be fine.”

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation did not immediately respond to a request for comment.


The Data and Forensics team is a multi-skilled unit dedicated to providing transparent journalism from Sky News. We gather, analyse and visualise data to tell data-driven stories. We combine traditional reporting skills with advanced analysis of satellite images, social media and other open source information. Through multimedia storytelling we aim to better explain the world while also showing how our journalism is done.

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‘Nobody likes Trump’: Sky News finds defiance on the streets of Tehran

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'Nobody likes Trump': Sky News finds defiance on the streets of Tehran

To the sound of mournful chants and the slow beat of drums, they march, whipping their backs with metal flails.

It is an ancient ceremony going back almost 14 centuries – the Shia commemoration of Ashura.

But this year in particular has poignant significance for Iranians.

The devout remember the betrayal and death of the Imam Hussein as if it happened yesterday.

The Shia commemoration of Ashura in Tehran, 2025
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Iranians gather ahead of Ashura

The Shia commemoration of Ashura in Tehran, 2025

We filmed men and women weep as they worshipped at the Imamzadeh Saleh Shrine in northern Tehran.

The grandson of the Prophet Muhammad was killed by the armies of the Caliph Yazid in the seventh century Battle of Karbala.

More on Iran

Shia Muslims mark the anniversary every year and reflect on the virtue it celebrates – of resistance against oppression and injustice. But more so than ever this year, in the wake of Israel and America’s attacks on their country.

The story is one of prevailing over adversity and deception. A sense of betrayal is keenly felt here by people and officials.

The Shia commemoration of Ashura in Tehran, 2025
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Men and women weeped as they worshipped at the Imamzadeh Saleh Shrine

Many Iranians believe they were lured into pursuing diplomacy as part of a ruse by the US.

Iran believed it was making diplomatic progress in talks with America, which it hoped could lead to a deal. Then Israel launched its attacks and, instead of condemning them, the US joined in.

“Death to Israel” chants resounded outside the mosque in skies that for 12 days were filled with the sounds of Israeli jets.

There is a renewed sense of defiance here.

One man told us: “The lesson to be learned from Hussein is not to give in to oppression, even if it is the most powerful force in the world.”

I don't think about Trump. Nobody likes him," one woman tells Sky News
Image:
‘I don’t think about Trump. Nobody likes him,’ one woman tells Sky News

A woman was dismissive about the US president.

“I don’t think about Trump. Nobody likes him. He always wants to attack too many countries.”

Pictures on billboards nearby link Imam Hussein’s story and current events. They show the seventh century imam on horseback alongside images of modern missiles and drones from the present day.

The Shia commemoration of Ashura
The billboard illustrates the 7th century imam on horseback alongside missiles and drones from the present day

Other huge signs remember the dead. Iran says almost 1,000 people were killed in the strikes, many of them women and children.

Officially Iran is projecting defiance, but not closing the door to diplomacy.

Government spokeswoman Dr Fatemeh Mohajerani told Sky News that Israel should not even think about attacking again.

“We are very strong in defence, and as state officials have announced, this time Israel will receive an even stronger response compared to previous times. We hope that Israel will not make such a mistake.”

Government spokeswoman Dr Fatemeh Mohajerani told Sky News that Israel should not even think about attacking again
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Dr Fatemeh Mohajerani said it would be a mistake for Israel to attack again

But there is also a hint of conciliation. Senior Iranian officials have told Sky News back-channel efforts are under way to explore new talks with the US.

Israel had hoped its attacks could topple the Iranian leadership. Those hopes proved unfounded. The government is in control here.

For many Iranians it seems quite the opposite happened – the 12-day war has brought them closer together.

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Two security workers injured after grenades thrown at aid site, Gaza Humanitarian Foundation says

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Two security workers injured after grenades thrown at aid site, Gaza Humanitarian Foundation says

Two American security workers in Gaza were injured after grenades were thrown during food distribution in Khan Younis, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) has said.

In a statement, the US and Israeli-backed aid group said a targeted terrorist attack was carried out at one of its sites in southern Gaza on Saturday morning.

The two Americans injured “are receiving medical treatment and are in stable condition,” it said, adding that the delivery of aid was “otherwise successful” and that “no local aid workers or civilians were harmed”.

GHF didn’t say exactly when the incident happened but claimed Hamas was behind the attack, adding: “GHF has repeatedly warned of credible threats from Hamas, including explicit plans to target American personnel, Palestinian aid workers, and the civilians who rely on our sites for food.

“Today’s attack tragically affirms those warnings.”

Later, the aid group posted a picture on social media, which it said showed “fragments of a grenade packed with ball bearings” that was used in the attack.

Asked by Sky’s US partner network, NBC News, whether the two injured individuals were responsible for handing out aid or were responsible for providing security, GHF said they were “American security workers” and “two American veterans.”

More on Gaza

The aid group did not provide specific evidence that Hamas was behind the attack.

The US and Israeli-backed group has been primarily responsible for aid distribution since Israel lifted its 11-week blockade of the Gaza Strip in May.

Read more:
Hamas gives ‘positive’ response to ceasefire proposal
Outcry as Israeli strike hits school
94 killed in Israeli strikes in Gaza, health staff say

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It comes after Sky News analysis showed GHF aid distributions are associated with a significant increase in deaths in Gaza.

According to Gaza’s health ministry, 600 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid from GHF sites as of 3 July, which charities and the UN have branded “death traps”.

Meanwhile, the Associated Press has reported that Israeli-backed American contractors guarding GHF aid centres in Gaza are using live ammunition and stun grenades.

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Contractors allege colleagues ‘fired on Palestinians’

GHF has vehemently denied the accusations, adding that it investigated AP’s allegations and found them to be “categorically false”.

Israel’s military added that it fires only warning shots and is investigating reports of civilian harm.

It denies deliberately shooting at any innocent civilians and says it’s examining how to reduce “friction with the population” in the areas surrounding the distribution centres.

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Hamas gives ‘positive’ response to ceasefire proposal but asks for amendments

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Hamas gives 'positive' response to ceasefire proposal but asks for amendments

Hamas has said it has “submitted its positive response” to the latest proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza to mediators.

The proposal for a 60-day ceasefire was presented by US President Donald Trump, who has been pushing hard for a deal to end the fighting in Gaza, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu set to visit the White House next week to discuss a deal.

Mr Trump said Israel had agreed to his proposed ceasefire terms, and he urged Hamas to accept the deal as well.

Hamas’ “positive” response to the proposal had slightly different wording on three issues around humanitarian aid, the status of the Israeli Defence Forces inside Gaza and the language around guarantees beyond the 60-day ceasefire, a source with knowledge of the negotiations revealed.

But the source told Sky News: “Things are looking good.”

The mother of Anas Al-Basyouni mourns his loss shortly after he was killed while on his way to an aid distribution center, during his funeral at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City on Thursday, July 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
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A woman cries after her son was killed while on his way to an aid distribution centre. Pic: AP/Jehad Alshrafi

Hamas said it is “fully prepared to immediately enter into a round of negotiations regarding the mechanism for implementing this framework” without elaborating on what needed to be worked out in the proposal’s implementation.

The US said during the ceasefire it would “work with all parties to end the war”.

More on Hamas

A Hamas official said on condition of anonymity that the truce could start as early as next week.

An Israeli army tank advances in the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel. Pic: AP/Leo Correa
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An Israeli army tank advances in the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel. Pic: AP/Leo Correa

But he added that talks were needed first to establish how many Palestinian prisoners would be released in return for each freed Israeli hostage and to specify the amount of humanitarian aid that will be allowed to enter Gaza during the ceasefire.

He said negotiations on a permanent ceasefire and the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza in return for the release of the remaining hostages would start on the first day of the truce.

Hamas has been seeking guarantees that the 60-day ceasefire would lead to a total end to the nearly 21-month-old war, which caused previous rounds of negotiations to fail as Mr Netanyahu has insisted that Israel would continue fighting in Gaza to ensure the destruction of Hamas.

The Hamas official said that Mr Trump has guaranteed that the ceasefire will extend beyond 60 days if necessary to reach a peace deal, but there is no confirmation from the US of such a guarantee.

Speaking to journalists on Air Force One, Mr Trump welcomed Hamas’s “positive spirit” to the proposal, adding that there could be a ceasefire deal by next week.

Palestinians dispersing away from tear gas fired at an aid distribution site in Gaza. Pic: AP
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Palestinians dispersing away from tear gas fired at an aid distribution site in Gaza. Pic: AP

Lian Al-Za'anin, center, is comforted by relatives as she mourns the loss of her father, Rami Al-Za'anin, who was killed while heading to an aid distribution hub, at the morgue of the Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, on Thursday, July 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
Image:
A girl mourns the loss of her father, who was killed while heading to an aid distribution hub. Pic: AP/Jehad Alshrafi

Hamas also said it wants more aid to flow through the United Nations and other humanitarian agencies, which comes as the UN human rights officer said it recorded 613 Palestinians killed in Gaza within a month while trying to obtain aid.

Most of them were said to have been killed while trying to reach food distribution points by the controversial US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).

The spokeswoman for the UN human rights office, Ravina Shamdasani, said the agency was not able to attribute responsibility for the killings, but added that “it is clear that the Israeli military has shelled and shot at Palestinians trying to reach the distribution points” operated by GHF.

Read more:
The man in the room acting as backchannel for Hamas in negotiations with US
GHF reacts to claims US contractors fired at Palestinians
Deaths in Gaza rise significantly when GHF distributes aid

Palestinians carry aid packages near the GHF distribution centre in Khan Younis. Pic: AP/Abdel Kareem Hana
Image:
Palestinians carry aid packages near the GHF distribution centre in Khan Younis. Pic: AP/Abdel Kareem Hana

Ms Shamdasani said that of the total tallied, 509 killings were “GHF-related”, meaning at or near its distribution sites.

The GHF accused the UN of taking its casualty figures “directly from the Hamas-controlled Gaza health ministry” and of trying “to falsely smear our effort”, which echoed statements to Sky News by the executive director of GHF, Johnnie Moore.

Mr Moore called the UN figures a “disinformation campaign” that is “meant to shut down our efforts” in the Gaza Strip.

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