Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinians desperately seeking food near an aid distribution site in southern Gaza on Sunday, according to a CNN investigation backed by eyewitness accounts, video analysis, and forensic evidence.
Over a dozen witnesses told the American cable network that Israeli troops fired volleys of machine gun fire at crowds near a roundabout about 800 metres from the fenced enclosure run by the US and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). The designated access road, Al-Rasheed Street, lies within an area under full Israeli military control.
In March, Israel suspended all humanitarian aid to Gaza, triggering severe shortages of food, medicine, and fuel. The United Nations reported that more than 3,000 aid trucks were stranded at the border, unable to deliver supplies to Gaza's two million residents. In response, GHF established new aid centres in Israeli-controlled zones, many of which have now become flashpoints for violence.
Survivors recounted a night of chaos and bloodshed as thousands rushed toward the only functioning humanitarian aid site in the Tel al-Sultan area of Rafah.
"I could hear the screams of young people and others from their injuries," said Mohammed Saqer, 43, who survived the incident. "In front of me were four young men with direct injuries to the head... there was a person next to me who was injured by a bullet in his eye."
Weapons experts confirmed that the rapid rate of fire, up to 960 rounds per minute, heard in videos, matched the FN MAG machine guns mounted on Israeli tanks. Videos reviewed by CNN show tracer fire lighting up the sky shortly after the centre opened around 5:00 am.
Several clips uploaded on social media show crowds scrambling for cover amid the gunfire.
⚡️BREAKING:
— Suppressed News. (@SuppressedNws) June 1, 2025
Israel is trying to deceive the world and deny the Rafah aid massacre at the GHF - Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, where 50 Palestinians were killed. Despite clear evidence including a video showing the attack at the U.S.-run aid center with audible gunfire.… pic.twitter.com/mwKV4T5pmf
While the IDF initially denied targeting civilians, a military source later admitted to firing "warning shots" at individuals about a km from the site. IDF spokesperson Brig. General Effie Defrin rejected CNN's findings, calling the report "false" and aligned with "Hamas propaganda."
"It simply didn't happen," he claimed.
However, GHF's own surveillance footage captures crowds storming the centre as gunfire is seen flashing in the background. By sunrise, the ground was littered with the bodies of Palestinians shot while attempting to get food.
The Palestinian Health Ministry reported 31 killed and over 200 injured. Many are hit in the head or chest. Doctors confirmed the bullets extracted were NATO-standard rounds used in Israeli weapons. GHF denied any gunfire, calling reports "fabricated," and "actively fomented" by Hamas. CNN's footage and multiple testimonies directly contradicted this.
More violence followed on Monday and Tuesday, with similar attacks near the GHF distribution centre killing nearly 30 more people. The IDF said its forces opened fire again after "suspects" approached from undesignated access points.
The UN has criticised GHF's distribution model as dangerous and unregulated, calling it a "cynical sideshow" that turns hunger into a weapon.
The IDF had earlier released drone footage alleging Hamas gunmen fired on aid seekers, saying, "Hamas is doing everything in its power to prevent the successful distribution of food in Gaza." Independent fact-checkers later debunked the footage as misleading and not tied to the incident.
