Israeli forces have attacked an area near a food and aid distribution center established by a US-affiliated private company in Gaza, Palestine. Health authorities in Gaza say 31 people were martyred in the attack. This attack in Rafah, an area in southern Gaza, is not the first such incident since a small amount of aid was allowed into Gaza after three months of blocking aid entry. The repeated occurrence of such incidents clearly demonstrates the security situation in Gaza. The Palestinian Red Crescent said their medical teams found the bodies of 23 Palestinian citizens near an aid distribution center. They also said 23 injured people were found and treated. The center is run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which is affiliated with the United States.
The Red Crescent also reported that 14 people were injured in an attack targeting Gaza residents near another center they operate in Rafah. Abu Tariq, a paramedic active in providing urgent care to those injured in attacks, said many people were martyred and many others were injured in the attack near the aid distribution center. He also urged the public not to go to such aid distribution centers. Gaza residents said Israeli soldiers attacked civilians from atop a crane near the aid distribution center. They also said that as thousands of people were heading towards an aid distribution center in Rafah, they were attacked from a tank.
The media of the Hamas-led government in Gaza said that aid distribution centers are “death traps” set by Israelis to gather Gaza residents in one place. They also said this is being done deliberately by Israelis and that aid supplies are being used as a weapon of war. They stated that aid supplies are being used to forcibly gather desperate and extremely hungry Gaza residents in specific areas, putting them at risk. Rida Abu Jazar, a Gaza resident, said Israelis martyred his brother while he was at an aid distribution center in Rafah seeking food. Another Gaza resident, Arafat Siyam, said his brother also went to an aid distribution center to find food for his wife and eight children. However, he was also martyred at that center.
GHF was established in collaboration with the United States, Israel’s biggest supporter, to bring the work of providing food and humanitarian aid to Gaza residents under Israeli control. With GHF being assigned the task of aid distribution, international organizations that usually participate in this work have been sidelined. GHF is now distributing aid from three areas. Many humanitarian organizations and the UN have criticized this new system of aid distribution through GHF. These organizations continue to say that the small amount of aid now being allowed into Gaza after more than 11 weeks of blocking aid entry is not adequate for the needs of Gaza’s residents. They continue to say that distributing aid under this system will again force Gaza residents to leave their homes and will increase bloodshed and violence.
A few days ago, Jared Wood, who was in the position of Executive Director of GHF, resigned from that position. He resigned saying he does not believe GHF can work in accordance with humanitarian principles. It is not yet clear who is funding GHF.
