 "How Gaza's food relief centres have turned into death traps")
Recent aid distribution operations in southern Gaza have been marred by near-daily shootings that have claimed the lives of at least 80 Palestinians and left hundreds injured, according to officials at multiple hospitals in the enclave.
The violence is unfolding around new humanitarian aid centres established by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a group backed by the United States and Israel and made up largely of American contractors.
Eyewitnesses say that in multiple incidents, crowds walking toward the aid centres were met with gunfire from nearby Israeli troops.
These shootings have occurred as large groups of Palestinians, facing dire food shortages and near-famine conditions, travel on foot in the predawn hours to access food distributions.
GHF began operating on May 26, after a nearly three-month Israeli blockade had brought aid delivery to a near halt.
With traditional humanitarian corridors shut down or restricted, the population of over two million has increasingly been forced into high-risk zones to obtain basic food supplies.
Hospital sources, including those at the Red Cross field hospital in Rafah and the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, confirm that the overwhelming majority of injuries are from gunshot wounds.
Many victims have been children and women, and hospital staff report overflowing morgues and patients filling not only every bed, but also the floors.
In one facility, an aid worker described numerous patients with wounds to their legs and buttocks, noting that the scale of the carnage has pushed the hospital beyond capacity, reported AP.
The most lethal incidents have been concentrated around a traffic circle known as the Flag Roundabout in Rafah, roughly one kilometre northwest of GHF’s Tel al-Sultan aid hub. The distribution centre is located within proximity of an Israeli military base.
Witnesses recount that on Sunday and again on Tuesday of the same week, Israeli troops began shooting into the crowd around 3 to 4 am.
Thousands had gathered in the darkness to secure food when, according to three individuals present, gunfire erupted from tanks, drones and ground forces.
Mohammed Ahmed, a Palestinian who had arrived early in the hope of collecting aid, told AP, “They may have opened fire because they felt threatened by the thousands of people in the area.” He and other witnesses noted that there were no visible provocations or attacks from the crowd before the Israeli forces fired.
How Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s aid model works
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation was launched as an alternative to the United Nations-led system that had previously handled aid distribution in Gaza.
According to the Israeli government, the change was needed due to alleged diversions of supplies by Hamas. However, international aid organisations and the UN itself have firmly denied significant interference by Hamas, arguing that the prior system functioned with far greater efficiency and neutrality.
GHF’s approach centralises aid into fixed distribution sites, each located within military zones and secured by armed contractors.
At present, three such hubs are operational: one in central Gaza and two near the deserted outskirts of Rafah in the far south. Not all hubs operate daily, and access routes to them are tightly controlled.
Palestinians seeking food must walk several kilometers to reach these sites, using a single designated road patrolled by Israeli forces.
GHF has publicly warned civilians to remain on this route, cautioning that straying from it “represents a great danger.” Food boxes are typically distributed starting at 5 am, but many Palestinians set out hours earlier to avoid being turned away empty-handed.
This results in thousands of people converging in darkness, passing through military checkpoints and near troop encampments.
When aid sites open, food parcels are left on pallets within fenced-off enclosures. A video shared by GHF shows a frenzied rush, with crowds sprinting toward the supplies.
Witnesses say that individuals often take multiple boxes, leading to shortages and chaos, with many people leaving empty-handed.
Tess Ingram of UNICEF remarked that “our team on the ground reports these boxes are woefully insufficient for ensuring children’s well-being,” adding that the scale of aid does not meet the growing needs.
The contents of each parcel — usually flour, sugar, canned tuna, cooking oil, and pasta — are meant to last a family of five for three to four days.
On Wednesday, following the spike in violence and criticism from aid agencies, GHF paused its food distribution efforts. The group confirmed it was in discussions with the Israeli military regarding ways to improve civilian safety.
In particular, GHF requested the development of more precise guidance for foot traffic, enhanced training for Israeli troops, and revisions to military protocols in order to minimise the risk of escalation near aid routes.
A spokesperson for the organisation stated that GHF was “saddened to learn that a number of civilians were injured and killed after moving beyond the designated safe corridor,” referring to areas that extend beyond the controlled aid zones and into declared military regions.
What the Israeli military has said
The Israeli military has responded by saying that its troops only fired warning shots in several cases, and in others, targeted what it described as “suspects” who approached military positions despite repeated alerts.
On Tuesday, a spokesperson said Israeli forces “fired to drive away suspects,” while pointing out that the full details are under review.
Army spokesman Effie Defrin said, “The numbers of casualties published by Hamas were exaggerated,” though the military acknowledged that it was investigating the matter. Israeli officials have accused Hamas of attempting to interfere with aid delivery efforts.
As part of that narrative, the Israeli military released drone footage claiming to show armed individuals firing at civilians attempting to collect aid in Khan Younis — an area without a GHF distribution centre.
However, this footage has not been independently verified by journalists, and its context remains unclear. Notably, in its descriptions of the incidents near the GHF hubs, the Israeli military has not confirmed the presence of armed Hamas members.
Meanwhile, GHF has maintained that no violence has taken place within its secured aid sites and that its staff have not been involved in any use of force.
This week’s incidents are not without precedent. In February 2024, more than 100 Palestinians were killed in a separate episode in which Israeli forces fired on civilians surrounding an aid convoy in northern Gaza.
At that time, Israel said its troops had responded to a group of individuals who ignored warning shots and charged at their position. International officials, including those from the UN and the European Union, asserted that most of the deaths in that episode were caused by direct Israeli gunfire.
What the UN has said
The growing death toll from these aid-related shootings has sparked renewed international outrage. The United Nations has reiterated its longstanding concerns about the new distribution system, calling it dangerous and counterproductive.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said, “It is unacceptable. Civilians are risking – and in several instances losing – their lives just trying to get food.”
He criticised the current system, supported by Israel and the US, as “a recipe for disaster,” warning that it is failing to provide safe, effective humanitarian relief.
The United Nations Security Council is now preparing to vote on a draft resolution that demands an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
The proposal also calls for the lifting of all restrictions on aid entry and its unrestricted distribution, including through UN agencies. Additionally, the draft includes a demand for the release of all hostages still held by Hamas or other groups.
Ten of the fifteen Council members have brought forward the motion, with Slovenia’s Ambassador to the UN, Samuel Zbogar, stating, “It is our historical responsibility not to remain silent.”
Whether the resolution will pass remains uncertain, particularly as the United States has often vetoed motions perceived as unfavourable to Israel.
The conflict which began after the October 7, 2023, attack in which Hamas killed around 1,200 people in Israel and took approximately 250 hostages.
Israel’s subsequent military campaign has resulted in over 54,000 Palestinian deaths, according to health authorities in Gaza. These figures include civilians and combatants alike, with thousands more believed to be buried under collapsed buildings.
GHF reports that it has distributed over seven million meals since its launch.
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