Gaza City, July 06 (V7N) — Hunger-stricken Palestinians have been killed while attempting to collect food at aid distribution centers across Gaza, with the death toll surpassing 700, according to Al Jazeera. The Gaza Health Ministry reported on Saturday (July 5) that at least 743 people have died and 4,891 others have been injured at these centers since late May.

The fatalities occurred as desperate civilians gathered at facilities run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an aid program backed by the United States and Israel that has faced mounting criticism for allegedly endangering aid recipients.

"This number is conservative. The true toll may be higher, as many incidents go unreported or are difficult to verify," said Al Jazeera correspondent Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Gaza City. He added that the food crisis has reached catastrophic levels under the ongoing Israeli blockade, forcing families into perilous conditions to secure basic sustenance.

Reports have emerged of armed personnel firing live ammunition and using stun grenades at crowds of aid seekers. Two unidentified U.S. contractors recently told the Associated Press that security forces at the GHF centers were “firing at will.” The GHF has strongly denied these allegations, calling them “completely false” and claiming to exercise “extreme vigilance” over security at its sites.

Despite widespread condemnation from human rights organizations, the Trump administration has voiced firm support for the GHF, describing it as “the only entity that has been able to deliver food and aid to Gaza.” The administration pledged an additional $30 million in funding at the end of June.

The GHF reported on Saturday that two American workers were injured in a grenade attack at its Khan Younis distribution center. The organization said both are in stable condition, though the identity of the attackers remains unknown.

Calls are growing for the immediate shutdown of the GHF. Amnesty International labeled the program an “inhumane and lethal armed plan” that funnels civilians into overcrowded, militarized zones, resulting in “daily shootings and mass casualties.”

END/RH/AJ