The World Health Organization confirmed that Palestinian driver Majdi Aslan was killed in Gaza in what WHO described as a “security incident,” while relatives say the vehicle bore WHO markings and was evacuating patients when it was struck. The Israel Defense Forces offered a differing account, saying troops fired at an "unmarked vehicle" that posed a threat near the Yellow Line and did not acknowledge a death. The incident highlights ongoing tensions and humanitarian strains during a ceasefire period that aid groups say has seen reduced aid access and continuing casualties.
WHO Driver Majdi Aslan Killed By Gunfire In Gaza, Relatives Say; IDF Disputes Account
A mourner leans over the body of Majdi Aslan at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, Gaza, on Monday. - Mahmoud Issa/Reuters
A Palestinian man employed by the World Health Organization, Majdi Aslan, 54, was shot and killed in Gaza on Monday, relatives and a doctor who received his body told CNN. The incident has prompted conflicting accounts from relatives, the WHO and the Israel Defense Forces.
Relatives and local doctor: Dr. Fathi Al-Loulou and family members said Aslan was driving an internationally assigned vehicle with World Health Organization markings along Salah al-Din Road — Gaza’s main north–south artery — when it came under fire. His cousin Raed Aslan told CNN the car was en route to evacuate patients. CNN has not independently verified the vehicle’s markings.
IDF statement: The Israel Defense Forces issued a different account, saying troops “identified an unmarked vehicle approaching them and the Yellow Line, posing an immediate threat.” The IDF said warning shots were fired, that the vehicle continued to accelerate toward troops, and that they responded with additional fire which struck the car. The IDF statement said a preliminary check indicated two local Gazan WHO employees were in the vehicle and were injured; the statement did not acknowledge a fatality.
WHO response: World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the agency was “devastated” to confirm Aslan’s death and described the event as a “security incident.” WHO stated two WHO staffers had been present but were not injured, and said the incident is under investigation by the relevant authorities. The WHO statement did not name Israeli forces.
Aftermath: Aslan’s body was taken to Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in central Gaza. CNN footage showed mourners gathered around the covered body; one man was heard shouting, “Wake up, dad, wake up!” Dr. Al-Loulou described the shooting as a targeted attack and called it a war crime.
Broader context: The shooting took place amid an ongoing ceasefire period that aid agencies say has not fully halted violence and has left humanitarian access severely constrained. Since the ceasefire began six months ago, the Palestinian Ministry of Health reports more than 700 Palestinians have been killed, including at least 100 children. Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) has reported a sharp drop in aid trucks entering Gaza, worsening shortages of food and medical supplies. The WHO says more than 18,500 critical patients still need medical evacuation from Gaza, including roughly 4,000 children.
Note: Accounts of the event differ. Relatives and the WHO say the vehicle bore WHO markings and a driver was killed; the IDF describes an unmarked vehicle posing a threat and does not acknowledge the fatality. CNN has requested further comment from the IDF and the report reflects information available at the time.
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