KHAN YOUNIS, GAZA, PALESTINE - JUNE 28, 2025: Thousands of displaced Palestinians in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, are forced to cross a perilous route known locally as the “Road of Death” each day in a desperate attempt to obtain food parcels amid the ongoing Israeli siege and an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. Civilians — including women, children, and the elderly — walk long distances on foot, facing constant threats from Israeli airstrikes and sniper fire. On Saturday, seven Palestinian, who were waiting to receive aid west of Rafah in southern Gaza, were shot dead by Israeli forces, medical sources said. Israeli troops also opened fire on Palestinians waiting for humanitarian aid near a distribution point associated with the controversial US-Israeli aid mechanism near the Netzarim corridor. At least 10 people were injured by live ammunition, according to local medical teams. Since May 27, Israel and the US have been operating an aid distribution system independent of the UN and major humanitarian agencies. Critics have condemned the initiative as a “death trap,” as Israeli troops have repeatedly opened fire on crowds seeking food and supplies. As of Wednesday, Gaza’s Health Ministry reported that at least 549 Palestinians had been killed and more than 4,066 injured while attempting to receive aid at these distribution sites. Separately, at least eight Palestinians were injured when the Israeli artillery targeted two homes in the northern Gaza town of Jabalia at dawn. Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing more than 56,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children. Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.