### Gaza Humanitarian Foundation Halts Aid Distribution Amid Deadly Clashes

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an organization with support from the United States and Israel, has announced it will not immediately restart aid distribution in Gaza following a complete shutdown on Wednesday. The GHF has stated that operations will resume once necessary maintenance and repair work at distribution sites is finalized. In a statement on Facebook, the GHF indicated that its sites would not open as planned on Thursday morning and reassured that updates regarding reopening times will be provided as soon as possible.

Aid seekers have been advised by the GHF to use routes designated by the Israeli military to ensure safe passage. The Israeli military has issued warnings for Palestinians to avoid approaching GHF aid distribution sites during ongoing "reorganization work," classifying these access roads as potential combat zones.

The interruption of food supply distribution by GHF comes after Israeli forces reportedly opened fire on Palestinians near a distribution site in Rafah, located in southern Gaza. The incident took place early Tuesday and led to the deaths of at least 27 people and injuries to approximately 90 others, according to Gaza's Ministry of Health. Similar violence occurred on Sunday when Israeli forces targeted thousands of aid seekers near the same Rafah site, resulting in at least 31 fatalities and over 150 injuries, as reported by Gaza's Civil Defence agency. During another attack on the same day, at a different distribution site south of the Netzarim Corridor in central Gaza, one person was shot dead.

These clashes have not been isolated incidents. On Monday, three more individuals lost their lives and about 30 were injured when Israeli forces again opened fire at the GHF's Rafah location. Despite these reports, the Israeli military has denied targeting civilians and claims that any shots fired were merely warning shots directed at people not using "designated access routes." Israeli army spokesperson Effie Defrin stated that soldiers only fired towards individuals who posed a threat to the troops.

The GHF has labeled reports of mass casualties at its distribution sites as "outright fabrications," asserting that it has not witnessed any attacks at or near its facilities. Contradicting this claim, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reported receiving a "mass casualty influx" of 179 cases following Sunday's attack, with 21 patients declared dead upon arrival. The ICRC noted that the casualties included women and children, most suffering from gunshot or shrapnel wounds, and warned of the unprecedented scale of recent mass casualty incidents in Gaza.

The international community has expressed outrage over these incidents. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an independent inquiry into the deaths, urging that the perpetrators be held accountable. The United Kingdom has also demanded an "immediate and independent investigation" into the fatal clashes, with UK Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer labeling the deaths as "deeply disturbing" and condemning Israel's new aid delivery measures as "inhumane."

Amid the escalating conflict, Israel persists with its broader offensive on Gaza. On Wednesday alone, at least 48 people were killed in various attacks across the territory, according to Gaza's Civil Defence. This includes the deaths of at least 18 people in a strike on a tent sheltering displaced Palestinians in southern Khan Younis.

On Thursday, the Israeli military confirmed the recovery of the remains of two Israeli captives from Khan Younis in southern Gaza. These individuals were among those captured during the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in at least 1,139 Israeli deaths and around 250 kidnappings. Israel continues to estimate that 56 captives remain in Gaza, including at least 20 believed to be alive.

In response to the continued violence, the United States vetoed a draft UN Security Council resolution on Wednesday that called for unhindered humanitarian aid access across Gaza and an "immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire."