At least 20 people have died at an aid distribution center in southern Gaza after a crush occurred during food handouts organized by the U.S.- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), according to the organization and a local hospital. The GHF initially reported 19 individuals were trampled and one was fatally stabbed amidst a chaotic stampede when they sought assistance in the Khan Younis area.
The Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis confirmed that it had received 21 bodies, with some reportedly succumbing to suffocation linked to tear gas exposure during the fracas. Eyewitnesses detailed harrowing scenes where individuals became trapped between fences as they awaited food distribution.
A video circulating on social media shows a witness mourning over the bodies of young boys at the hospital. Amidst distraught cries about children dying for food, the witness recounted the scene at the aid site, attributing the tragedy to poor management that led to overcrowding.
Witness accounts indicate that the situation escalated as gate closures by contractors pushed desperate crowds into narrow passages. One injured individual described the crushing force of the masses, while another alleged that armed security personnel ignited panic by deploying pepper bombs.
The GHF’s spokesperson countered claims from the Hamas-run Government Media Office, asserting that they neither employed tear gas nor live ammunition, and minimal pepper spray was utilized strictly for crowd control.
In their first public response, a GHF official claimed that the unrest was Instigated by Hamas operatives infiltrating the crowd, adding that the stabbing victim was a medic attempting to manage the chaotic situation. The GHF relies on private security contractors to oversee aid distribution within areas controlled by the Israeli military, a measure deemed essential to prevent Hamas interference.
Despite ongoing operations, reports from the UN human rights office indicated a severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with significant fatalities occurring near GHF sites in recent weeks. They called for Israel to ensure unimpeded access to humanitarian assistance for the beleaguered civilian population, with documented fatalities highlighting the dangerous dynamics in play at these aid distribution points.
As the humanitarian crisis persists, the nation grapples with the troubling reality of securing help amidst escalating chaos.
The Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis confirmed that it had received 21 bodies, with some reportedly succumbing to suffocation linked to tear gas exposure during the fracas. Eyewitnesses detailed harrowing scenes where individuals became trapped between fences as they awaited food distribution.
A video circulating on social media shows a witness mourning over the bodies of young boys at the hospital. Amidst distraught cries about children dying for food, the witness recounted the scene at the aid site, attributing the tragedy to poor management that led to overcrowding.
Witness accounts indicate that the situation escalated as gate closures by contractors pushed desperate crowds into narrow passages. One injured individual described the crushing force of the masses, while another alleged that armed security personnel ignited panic by deploying pepper bombs.
The GHF’s spokesperson countered claims from the Hamas-run Government Media Office, asserting that they neither employed tear gas nor live ammunition, and minimal pepper spray was utilized strictly for crowd control.
In their first public response, a GHF official claimed that the unrest was Instigated by Hamas operatives infiltrating the crowd, adding that the stabbing victim was a medic attempting to manage the chaotic situation. The GHF relies on private security contractors to oversee aid distribution within areas controlled by the Israeli military, a measure deemed essential to prevent Hamas interference.
Despite ongoing operations, reports from the UN human rights office indicated a severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with significant fatalities occurring near GHF sites in recent weeks. They called for Israel to ensure unimpeded access to humanitarian assistance for the beleaguered civilian population, with documented fatalities highlighting the dangerous dynamics in play at these aid distribution points.
As the humanitarian crisis persists, the nation grapples with the troubling reality of securing help amidst escalating chaos.
