The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reported Friday that at least 798 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza since May 27 while attempting to access humanitarian aid.

According to the OHCHR spokesperson, 615 of the victims were killed near aid distribution centers run by the so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, while 183 others were fatally shot along aid convoy routes. The foundation, widely criticized for its ties to Israeli authorities, assumed control of the aid distribution mechanism in Gaza after the previous UN-led system was effectively dismantled in March amid a tightening Israeli blockade.

The rising death toll has sparked renewed international outrage and concern over the current aid delivery system in the besieged enclave. Earlier this month, 169 humanitarian organizations from across the globe—including major NGOs from Europe, the United States, and Israel—issued a joint statement condemning the Israeli- and U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation for overseeing what they describe as a "dangerous and deadly" aid distribution process.

“These deaths are not isolated incidents,” said a representative of one of the signatory groups. “They are the result of a flawed system that places Palestinians in harm’s way just to access the bare necessities for survival.”

The organizations have demanded an immediate end to the current distribution mechanism and called for the restoration of the UN-led humanitarian aid coordination that had operated in Gaza until March. Many international aid groups have already suspended cooperation with the foundation due to its affiliations with the Israeli occupation forces, citing fears over the safety and neutrality of their operations.

Human rights advocates have warned that the continued militarization of humanitarian access in Gaza is leading to further civilian casualties and collective punishment, which could amount to grave violations of international law.

The OHCHR’s latest figures underscore the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, where millions remain at risk of starvation, disease, and displacement, amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes, ground operations, and a months-long siege that has devastated critical infrastructure.

Despite growing global appeals, Israeli authorities have not commented on the UN's findings. Meanwhile, calls are mounting for an independent international investigation into the killings and a full-scale humanitarian intervention to prevent further loss of civilian life in Gaza. (ILKHA)