A tragic scene unfolded on Tuesday at a newly opened aid distribution centre in Gaza’s Tel al-Sultan neighbourhood, where a rush for food turned deadly. At least one person was killed and 48 others injured as crowds surged at the facility run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a U.S.-funded organisation operating under a new aid plan approved by Israel and the United States.
The incident occurred amid growing desperation after an 11-week Israeli blockade has left much of Gaza’s population facing acute shortages of food and essentials. Eyewitnesses say panic erupted when Israeli soldiers fired warning shots into the air in an attempt to control the large and disorderly crowd. Fearing for their safety, GHF staff, including American workers, were quickly pulled from the area.
The United Nations has strongly condemned the events, calling the aid delivery “chaotic, undignified, and unsafe.” UN officials also criticised GHF’s operating model, saying it goes against established humanitarian standards and could contribute to the forced displacement of Palestinians.
Unlike traditional UN-led efforts, the GHF is distributing food through a separate system that bypasses established international humanitarian networks. The organisation has pledged to reach 1.2 million people by the end of the week. However, the violence at the centre has cast doubt on both the safety and ethics of this new approach.
Several humanitarian groups have raised concerns that GHF’s distribution model may be serving political or military purposes, rather than purely addressing urgent humanitarian needs. They also warn that the system may indirectly support efforts by Israel to relocate Gaza’s northern population to the south — a move that many see as forced displacement.
In response to the incident, the UN and other aid agencies are calling for a return to neutral, coordinated, and internationally recognised aid delivery systems. They argue that all border crossings into Gaza must be reopened immediately and that a secure environment must be established to ensure the safe distribution of emergency assistance.
The deadly chaos at the aid centre is a stark reminder of the dangers and difficulties of delivering humanitarian support in war zones. It underscores the need for careful planning, neutrality, and adherence to international law to ensure that help reaches those who need it most — without worsening the already fragile situation on the ground.
