Tragedy Strikes Aid Distribution in Gaza: Over 20 Dead Amid Chaos

At least 20 individuals have died during a chaotic incident at a US-backed aid distribution center in Gaza, sparking a heated dispute between the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) and Hamas authorities regarding the causes of the tragedy.

At least 20 people have lost their lives in a tragic crush at an aid distribution center operated by the US- and Israel-supported Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis region. According to reports from the GHF and a local hospital, 19 were trampled to death and one individual was stabbed during what they described as a chaotic surge at the site. The GHF accused individuals "armed and affiliated with Hamas" of inciting the panic.

The Government Media Office of Hamas, however, fiercely denied these allegations, asserting that the GHF was attempting to conceal the circumstances surrounding the incident. The Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis reported receiving the bodies of 21 deceased individuals, attributed to suffocation from tear gas exposure as well as trample injuries amid the chaotic distribution.

A graphic video confirmed by the BBC shows a witness on a cart piled with victims’ bodies, expressing despair over the fatal incident, particularly highlighting the age of the victims involved. Eyewitness accounts indicate that mismanagement at the aid site led to the crowding and chaos, with people being pressed against safety fences in anticipation of receiving food.

One injured individual, Mahmoud Fojo, recounted witnessing contractors beginning to close the gates as the crowd swelled. He described the panic that ensued as people began to fall underfoot during the rush. Additionally, Ahmed Abu Omra alleged that armed contractors fired “pepper bombs” into the crowd, exacerbating the situation.

The GHF's spokesperson pushed back against these claims, stating that tear gas was never used and that minimal pepper spray was utilized only to protect lives. Chapin Fay, the GHF spokesperson, contended that the outbreak of violence was triggered by armed Hamas operatives infiltrating the crowd, which he claimed led to the tragic loss of life.

The UN has taken notice of the incident, with spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan calling attention to the dire humanitarian needs in Gaza, where limited distribution points lead to desperate situations. Reports indicate escalating violence around aid sites, as UN officials noted hundreds of fatalities linked to the GHF’s operations since its start in late May.

Before the incident, the GHF had firmly denied that there had been deadly occurrences at its sites, challenging reports from the Hamas-run health ministry and the UN. Meanwhile, the Israeli military acknowledged the presence of civilian casualties but indicated ongoing efforts to minimize confrontations between military forces and the population.

This incident at the aid distribution center has raised critical questions about the management of humanitarian aid in Gaza, as communities continue to suffer amid an ongoing conflict marked by desperation and violence.