Israeli fire behind deadly Gaza aid site attack, CNN investigation finds

A new investigation by CNN using video analysis, weapons expertise, and eyewitness testimony has found that Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinians waiting for food aid in Gaza's Rafah, killing at least 31 people.

The attack took place on Sunday near a roundabout where hundreds had gathered behind a fenced enclosure at an aid distribution point run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a controversial mechanism backed by Israel and the US. Witnesses say they had been told to wait there for food deliveries.

Footage verified and geolocated by CNN shows people scrambling for cover as gunfire rings out. One video, filmed by Ameen Khalifa, a 30-year-old Palestinian, captures the moment he and others ducked as gunfire erupted nearby.

Weapons experts analysing the audio said the firing rate matched machine guns commonly used by the Israeli military, such as the FN MAG, often mounted on Merkava tanks. Witnesses also reported seeing gunfire coming from tanks positioned in the distance.

CNN interviewed more than a dozen eyewitnesses, several of whom were injured in the attack. Doctors at Nasser Hospital in Gaza said the bullets removed from patients matched NATO-standard 7.62mm M80 rounds, used by Israeli weapons like the Negev and FN MAG.

Despite the evidence, the Israeli military declined to answer CNN’s questions. Initially, it denied firing on civilians "near or within the aid site," but later admitted troops fired "warning shots at suspects" one kilometre away.

The GHF has distanced itself from the incident but confirmed Israeli troops were present at the time. The UN has labelled the site a "death trap" and warned that such distributions put civilians at extreme risk.

Since Sunday’s incident, Israeli forces have reportedly killed more Palestinians at or near aid distribution sites on Monday and Tuesday.

Robert Maher, an engineering professor at Montana State University, analysed video from the scene and said the bursts of fire, ranging from 1 to 16 shots per second, were consistent with Israeli military weapons and came from about 450 metres away.

Trever Ball, a former US Army explosive ordnance expert, said the fire rate was not consistent with weapons used by Hamas, but instead aligned with Israeli tank-mounted machine guns.

He confirmed that bullet images shared by Gaza medical staff were in line with Israeli army ammunition.

The incident has intensified criticism of the GHF and Israel's broader strategy of controlling aid access in Gaza.

UN officials and international aid groups have warned against the militarisation of humanitarian relief, especially in southern Gaza where civilians are increasingly desperate for food.

UN Humanitarian Coordinator Tom Fletcher condemned the approach, saying the aid plan "makes starvation a bargaining chip" and prioritises political and military objectives over human need.

Israel’s war on Gaza has now killed more than 61,700 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health authorities, with entire neighbourhoods destroyed. Human rights groups including Amnesty International have described the assault as a genocide.