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Since May 27, at least 613 Palestinians have lost their lives collecting aid in Gaza, according to the United Nations. Alarmingly, 509 of those fatalities occurred at distribution centers run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a U.S.-based organization backed by Israel that has become the primary source of aid in the Strip.
I. Challenges and Criticism of GHF’s Aid Distribution
1. Aid Centers Located Far from Many Residents
GHF has established just four distribution hubs in southern Gaza, forcing numerous Palestinians to trek through militarized zones—up to 20 kilometers round-trip—to reach help. As one resident from Deir al-Balah explained, “Only the strongest and fastest can make the journey.” This inaccessibility has drawn strong criticism from U.N. officials, who argue that such limitations amount to the “weaponization of food” and may constitute war crimes, particularly when life-saving services are denied.
2. Use of Private Security and Logistics Firms
Unlike traditional aid operations, GHF contracts private security guards and logistics companies to handle the flow of supplies. Reports have emerged of gunfire directed at civilians at these sites, allegedly from Israeli Defence Force soldiers. The IDF has acknowledged firing warning shots near subjects approaching their lines and stated that they are continuing to investigate civilian casualties at these aid locations.
II. Incidents of Violence and Disputed Accounts
1. Hundreds Killed in Violent Encounters
Gaza’s Health Ministry, Civil Defense Agency, and local health workers report at least 18 violent incidents at GHF centers, resulting in Palestinian deaths. In one disturbing instance, two anonymous U.S. contractors working with GHF told the Associated Press that security personnel at aid sites used stun grenades, pepper spray, and live ammunition as people gathered. AP-published video footage showed panicked crowds, the clamor of gunfire, and the deployment of stun grenades.
2. GHF Leadership Denies Any Violence
GHF’s chairman, Johnnie Moore, publicly asserted that no violent events occurred at their sites or in their vicinity. In a statement released on July 3, GHF rejected the AP’s reporting as “categorically false,” claiming that any gunfire in the videos had originated from the IDF and not their own security personnel.
3. Aid Numbers vs. Operational Deep Critique
GHF reports having distributed over 56.5 million meals in Gaza since initiating operations. Despite this, more than 170 humanitarian organizations—including Oxfam and Save the Children—have called for its closure. They stress the importance of returning to pre-existing UN-led aid coordination mechanisms and ending Israel’s blockade on civilian and commercial supplies.
III. Broader Concerns Over Aid Access and Safety
1. Shift from Multiple Aid Points to Few Militarized Sites
In response to alleged aid pilferage by Hamas, Israel introduced GHF’s centralized distribution system after an 11-week blockade—reducing Gaza’s aid points from approximately 400 to just four, now embedded within militarized zones. Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of UNRWA, called this a “new abomination,” condemning it as a recipe for “starvation and gunfire.”
2. UN Demands Restoration of UN-Led Aid Coordination
Aid groups demand that GHF be dismantled and that operations revert to the UN’s coordinated system. They insist that Israel’s blockade be lifted to allow commercial and humanitarian supplies to flow unimpeded. Gaza’s northern areas remain under Israeli control following renewed military operations that resumed in May.
Conclusion
The launch of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation as the primary distributor of aid in Gaza has sparked fierce debate. While it has delivered millions of meals, critics highlight its inaccessible locations, militarized context, and reports of violence at distribution sites. With hundreds of deaths attributed to aid collection, international organizations and UN leaders call for an immediate return to UN-led systems and the dismantling of GHF’s centralized, securitized model—urging a restoration of safe, widespread access to humanitarian relief.
