Humanitarian Aid Sites Become Targets
At least 32 Palestinians have been killed and more than 200 injured as Israeli forces opened fire near aid distribution points operated by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). The deadliest incident occurred Sunday morning in Rafah, southern Gaza, where Israeli tanks fired on civilians waiting for food. Shortly after, another person was killed in Gaza City at a similar GHF site.
Witnesses reported that the victims were unarmed civilians, desperate for food after months of blockade and bombing. The Gaza Government Media Office condemned the incidents, stating that “aid distribution has become a death trap,” while the United Nations called for an independent investigation into what it described as “a systematic and malicious use of aid as a tool of war.”
The GHF, formed with support from the United States and Israel, completed its first week of operations under intense scrutiny and criticism. Many international humanitarian organizations, including the UN, have refused to participate in the project, accusing it of violating core humanitarian principles. Jake Woods, the GHF’s executive director and a US veteran, resigned just before distributions began, citing the inability to carry out the mission without compromising humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence.
Eyewitnesses Denounce ‘Warning Shots’ as Lethal Fire
Accounts from survivors starkly contrast the official Israeli narrative. While the Israeli military stated that it had not fired at civilians and claimed “false reports” were circulating, locals recounted direct gunfire into crowds.
Ibrahim Abu Saoud, a Rafah resident who witnessed the killings, described chaos and gunfire as people approached the food distribution area. “The crowd was at least 300 meters away from the military,” he said. “They opened fire. I saw people fall.” Al Jazeera’s correspondent Hind Khoudary added that Palestinians attending the distributions were fully aware of the risks but had no other options for food.
Aid distributed at these sites is meager—consisting of a few basic items like a kilo of flour and a couple of cans—offering little sustenance. Still, in a region on the verge of famine, even these small packages draw crowds in the thousands.
UN and Aid Groups Slam US-Israel Backed Plan
Critics of the GHF say the project has replaced over 400 former distribution points with just four centralized hubs, making them bottlenecks for desperate civilians—and easy targets. Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), denounced the strategy, stating that “aid has been weaponized.”
In a statement, Gaza’s Government Media Office declared the aid points to be “mass death traps” and accused the Israeli army and US administration of collaborating in using humanitarian aid as bait to gather and kill civilians. Human rights organizations have echoed these concerns, urging immediate action and accountability.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis worsens. Food prices have soared, with flour now costing up to $20 per kilo, and medical facilities are overwhelmed. Amid the chaos, Hamas signaled its willingness to resume ceasefire talks, but Israel’s Defense Minister vowed to press on with military operations, regardless of negotiations.
The tragic events at the GHF sites mark a deadly escalation in the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and raise urgent questions about the ethics and effectiveness of foreign-led aid mechanisms in conflict zones.
