Geneva: More than 500 people have been killed in the vicinity of aid distribution sites run by the US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), according to the United Nations human rights office. The deaths have occurred since the GHF began operations on May 26, amid growing famine warnings due to Israel’s halt on supplies into Gaza.

Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Office, said, "We have recorded 613 killings near humanitarian aid areas, including 509 specifically near GHF distribution points." She added that these figures, which also include deaths near UN and non-UN aid convoys, may rise as further reports are corroborated.

The UN has demanded an independent investigation and full access to Gaza, saying it is clear Israeli forces have opened fire on Palestinians gathering for aid. “We need an investigation. We need access. We need accountability,” Shamdasani urged.

The GHF, though labelled a private organisation, is politically and logistically supported by both Israel and the United States. Based in Delaware, its chairman is evangelical leader Johnnie Moore, a close ally of US President Donald Trump. The foundation claims it has distributed over one million boxes of food and denies any violent incidents at its sites.

Despite these claims, UN agencies and major NGOs have distanced themselves from the GHF, citing concerns over its impartiality and its alignment with Israeli military objectives.

World Health Organization official Rik Peeperkorn described the medical fallout of the violence during a visit to Gaza’s Nasser Medical Complex this week. “There are patients everywhere: on the floor, in the corridors. It's mainly boys, young adolescents, young men… shot in the head, shot in the neck, shot in the chest,” he said.

He added that these individuals were often found near the so-called "safe, non-UN" GHF sites.

The UN, along with humanitarian organisations, continues to warn that basic principles of aid neutrality and protection of civilians are being dangerously violated in Gaza. Calls for a ceasefire and accountability are growing, as the death toll around food distribution points mounts.