Thousands Storm Food Aid Site in Gaza Chaos

RAFAH, Gaza Strip — Thousands of Palestinians surged into a food distribution site on Tuesday, overwhelming security measures as they sought desperately needed aid. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US and Israeli-backed group, had just begun operations at the site, which sparked a chaotic scene where many clambered over barriers to reach supplies amid gunfire from Israeli soldiers.

Videos circulating on social media captured the frenzy at the GHF’s compound in Rafah, where families had lined up for aid after an 11-week Israeli blockade that has intensified hunger among the local population, which numbers about 2.1 million. According to the GHF, it distributed approximately 8,000 food boxes, equating to about 462,000 meals.

By late afternoon, crowds grew so large that GHF workers had to retreat to allow a small number of people to take food safely, as chaos unfolded around them. “We were promised food, but we faced blockades. Hunger is driving us to do things we never thought we would,” said one man who witnessed the events.

The Israeli military confirmed that troops fired warning shots to control the situation, emphasizing that it aims to ensure food reaches those in need while preventing Hamas from intercepting aid, which the group denies doing. Israeli officials said this initiative is necessary due to concerns over Hamas’s management of aid in the region.

In a statement, GHF acknowledged the situation was dire, citing that many individuals had experienced long delays in receiving assistance due to conflicts on the ground. They stated, “The needs on the ground are great, and the volume of people seeking aid was overwhelming at times.”

The GHF’s methods have drawn significant criticism, with various humanitarian organizations refusing to collaborate, asserting that the strategy could politicize aid. UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric remarked that the scenes emerging from Rafah were “heartbreaking,” emphasizing the need for operationally sound humanitarian efforts.

Despite ongoing obstacles, the GHF plans to expand its operations across Gaza, aiming to feed up to one million people in the coming days. However, local and global concerns persist over the implications of involving security measures and potential bias against certain groups. Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to deepen, fueled by an ongoing conflict that began in October 2023.