Israeli Prime Minister Benjamín Netanyahu announced Wednesday that the Israeli army has killed Mohamed Sinwar, who he claimed was the chief of Hamas in Gaza. According to Netanyahu, Sinwar had filled the role left vacant after the reported death of his older brother, Yahia Sinwar, who Israel alleges masterminded the October 7, 2023, attack that resulted in over 1,200 deaths and 253 kidnappings and triggered the ongoing war.

Netanyahu stated in Parliament that Sinwar’s death occured during an Israeli air raid near the European hospital in southern Gaza earlier in May. However,Israeli defense sources,speaking to Haaretz,later indicated uncertainty regarding the claim.

The prime minister’s announcement comes amidst growing international pressure for a ceasefire, acceptance of a U.S.-backed truce agreement, and increased humanitarian aid access to Gaza, now in its 600th day of conflict.

International concern has risen due to attacks and bombings impacting civilian infrastructure during “operation Carros de Gideon,” Israel’s effort to occupy the gaza Strip, and also the disorderly distribution of aid. Even Germany, a country that had largely refrained from criticizing the Netanyahu government’s military actions, has recently voiced concerns about the escalation as the March 18 breaking of the ceasefire. Since then, Gaza’s Ministry of Health, controlled by Hamas, reports that 3,924 people have been killed and 11,267 injured in Israeli attacks.

Aid Distribution Faces Challenges

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a private entity responsible for distributing aid in Gaza independently of the UN, has delayed food distribution to implement “adjustments” to its procedures and ensure operational “security.” The UN confirmed that tuesday’s chaotic start to distributions resulted in one death and 47 injuries from Israeli army gunfire, according to Ajith Sunghay, head of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in the occupied Palestinian territory. Hamas claims three people died.

The GHF, supported by Israel and the U.S., stated that “the two centers” currently operating out of the four planned have resumed activity and “have distributed until now 14,550 boxes,” each containing enough food to feed 5.5 people for 3.5 days, totaling “a total of 840,262 meals”. The statement added that the foundation plans to establish additional distribution sites throughout gaza in the coming weeks.

The GHF reported distributing 8,000 boxes on its first day, estimated to provide 462,000 meals. The foundation has faced criticism from the humanitarian sector, despite its backers’ claims that it prevents aid from falling into Hamas’s hands and ensures it reaches civilians.

The desperation of Gaza’s 2.2 million residents, manny facing hunger after two months of a near-total blockade that only eased a week ago, led to a massive influx of people to the distribution site on Tuesday. The distribution became uncontrolled,with crowds overwhelming the area in search of supplies. Israeli forces acknowledged firing shots, but stated they were directed outside the complex and into the air to disperse the crowd. Following these events, the GHF announced it would make “adjustments” before resuming operations and is working to restart distribution as soon as possible.

“the only true story here is that help is coming to Gaza massively. (…) Was it like going to a shopping center? No, it was not. It is a complex context; but it is working.”

Tammy Bruce, a U.S. State Department spokesperson, stated, “I will not go into who shot who,” during a White House appearance.”The only true story here is that help is coming to Gaza massively.(…) Was it like going to a shopping center? No, it was not. It is a complex context; but it is working,” she defended. “I do not speak in the name of this foundation,” she clarified, “but we welcome any dynamics that contributes to introduce help in the region.”

Hamas has called Israel’s aid distribution system “a trap” for civilians and criticized the UN’s humanitarian efforts. The Islamist militia stated that “the images of civilians running towards aid distribution centers confirm the failure of the Israeli mechanism and its conversion into a trap that threatens the lives of civilians,” adding that Israel seeks to “benefit the political and military objectives of the occupation,not give help.”

Philippe Lazzarini, the general commissioner of the UN Agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) predicted last friday that the images of desperate Gazaties would occur fighting to get a lot of help like the views on Tuesday.

“No one should be surprised and much less scandalized before looting scenes, robberies or ‘losses’ of valuable help,” he wrote then.And he explained: “The population of Gaza has been hungry for more than 11 weeks and deprived of the basics, including water and medicines. Mothers and fathers have run out of food for their children. The elderly have died due to lack of medications.The help that comes now is a needle in a haystack.”

The UN and NGOs have reiterated their call for the Netanyahu government to allow “a meaningful and uninterrupted help flow,” according to Lazzarini. united Nations agencies estimate that between 500 and 600 trucks of aid are needed daily to meet basic needs in Gaza.

World Central Kitchen (WCK), which lost seven workers in an Israeli attack in Gaza a year ago, stated on X that its trucks are being held at the Kerem Shalom crossing. “The FDI [Fuerzas de Defensa de Israel] They have not yet provided safe routes to bring supplies to our kitchens. (…) We are ready to cook as soon as we can. “

The Government Activity coordinator in the Territories (COGAT), the Israeli Ministry of Defense unit responsible for humanitarian logistics in Gaza, responded to WCK, stating: “the WCK and other agencies and organizations had several option routes for the collection of aid at the crossroads.” COGAT blamed WCK for not collecting the supplies, stating: “It has been his decision.”

Ghassan Alian, head of COGAT, stated that the agency has “extended her hand to all humanitarian organizations and the international community” to participate in aid distribution. “Though,in recent days,the UN has avoided fulfilling its role and,rather,continues to disseminate false and incorrect data about the anguish of civilians.”

Lieutenant Colonel Nada Shoshani,an international FDI spokesman,accused international organizations of launching a global campaign against aid distribution. “In the last 24 hours, international organizations have undertaken a campaign. Not a campaign to distribute help, but a campaign against the country that facilitates help to Gaza.And worse, it is a disinformation campaign at the service of terrorists. Why are the UN and other organizations so worried that the help reaches Gaza’s civilians without terrorists to put their hands in it?” United Nations leaders.