Chaos erupted at a Gaza aid distribution centre as thousands of Palestinians, desperate for food, overwhelmed teh facility on its second day of operation. The center, managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) and supported by both Israel and the US, was quickly overrun, leading to Israeli troops firing “warning shots” in an attempt to regain control.

The incident underscores the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, where Palestinians have endured a strict Israeli blockade, including a prolonged block on essential supplies.Eyewitnesses reported that many individuals traveled long distances to reach the aid hub,passing through military checkpoints along the way.

According to the GHF, the sheer number of people at the distribution site became unmanageable. “at one moment in the late afternoon, the volume of people at the SDS [secure distribution centre] was such that the GHF team fell back to allow a small number of palestinians in Gaza to take aid safely and dissipate,” the GHF said in a statement.

Reports from the Associated Press (AP) indicate the presence of an Israeli tank, gunfire, and a military helicopter deploying flares. At least three Palestinians sustained injuries and were evacuated from the scene, including one with a leg wound.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the situation, acknowledging a “loss of control momentarily” during the food distribution but asserted that order was “brought back under control.”

Desperation and Disappointment at Aid Hub

Despite the efforts, many Palestinians left the center empty-handed, while some managed to obtain boxes containing basic necessities such as sugar, flour, pasta, and tahini.

“It was chaos,” said Ahmed Abu Taha, who said he heard gunfire and saw Israeli military aircraft overhead. “People were panicked.”

“It was chaos,” said Ahmed Abu Taha, who said he heard gunfire and saw israeli military aircraft overhead. “People were panicked.”

The GHF has faced scrutiny since its inception. Jake Wood, the founding director, resigned on Sunday, citing concerns about the institution’s impartiality and effectiveness.

Wood stated that it woudl be impossible for the group to deliver aid “while also strictly adhering to the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence.”

concerns Over GHF’s Role

The United Nations (UN) and other international aid organizations have declined to collaborate with the GHF, citing concerns that such cooperation would compromise fundamental principles necessary for reaching civilians in conflict zones.

These organizations have also expressed doubts about the GHF’s capacity to meet the needs of over 2 million people in the war-torn Gaza Strip.

The US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce defended the organization, stating that the priority was delivering aid to Gaza, regardless of the provider. she also accused Hamas of obstructing GHF convoys.

UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric described the scenes as “heartbreaking” and expressed dismay at the sight of crowds rushing for aid, especially when the UN and its partners have a “detailed, principled and operationally sound plan” for aid delivery.

The GHF has established four distribution hubs in Gaza, including in the Rafah area, and employs armed private contractors for security.

Israel aims to replace the UN and other aid groups in coordinating aid distribution, but has recently allowed a limited amount of aid to enter Gaza for UN distribution.

COGAT, the Israeli military agency responsible for aid coordination, reported that 400 trucks of food supplies were awaiting collection by the UN on the Gaza side of the main crossing from Israel.

A UN spokesperson in Geneva stated that Israeli authorities have designated “insecure routes,” posing challenges for aid agencies, and that the amount of aid allowed in the past week was “vastly insufficient.”