GAZA (Palestine Foundation Information Center) Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor has accused Israeli occupation forces (IOF) of deploying a local armed gang and foreign mercenaries to kill Palestinian civilians at aid distribution points in Rafah, Gaza.
In a report released Monday, the human rights group said the IOF is coordinating with the so-called “Abu Shabab gang” and foreign fighters from a US private security firm to incite chaos and carry out extrajudicial killings.
These actors reportedly fired directly on starving civilians attempting to access food aid, killing at least 14 and injuring dozens.
Eyewitnesses confirmed that members of the gang, dressed in uniforms with the emblem “Palestinian counter-terrorism units”, first ordered residents to queue for aid before opening fire as they approached the trucks.
As panic broke out, the gunmen retreated to IOF-controlled zones, where IOF soldiers joined them in further gunfire and dispersal of the crowd using live ammunition and tear gas.
The Euro-med cited documented cases of mercenaries—operating under direct Israeli command—firing on civilians, looting UN aid convoys, and selling stolen goods at inflated prices in Israeli-controlled areas.
It warned that these actions, along with the systematic use of starvation and violence, constitute war crimes under international law.
According to the Euro-Med Monitor, the involvement of foreign military contractors may qualify as mercenary activity, prohibited under the 1989 International Convention.
The report holds Israel legally accountable for the actions of both official forces and these irregular armed groups, citing violations of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
The Monitor called for immediate international investigations, prosecution of all involved parties, and global sanctions targeting Israeli officials and affiliated private companies.
