GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (BN24) — An Israeli-backed American aid organization operating in Gaza said Wednesday that 20 Palestinians were killed near one of its food distribution sites in southern Gaza, as Israeli airstrikes elsewhere killed 22 more people, including 11 children, according to local hospital officials.
The Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF) reported that 19 people died in a stampede and another person was fatally stabbed as chaos erupted near a distribution hub in the city of Khan Younis. The organization, which is based in Delaware and began operating in February, rarely comments publicly about incidents at its aid centers but blamed the violence on what it called “deliberate panic and misinformation spread by Hamas.” It did not provide evidence for the accusation.
Since the start of the war on October 7, 2023—when Hamas fighters launched an unprecedented attack on Israel—Israeli forces have carried out an intense bombardment and blockade of Gaza that has driven much of the territory’s more than 2 million people into desperate hunger. Food security experts have repeatedly warned that famine is imminent for many communities.
Palestinians say the danger at distribution sites goes beyond overcrowding. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry and multiple eyewitness accounts, Israeli troops frequently open fire on crowds traveling through Israeli military zones on their way to collect aid. Hundreds have been killed and many more wounded as they attempted to reach food convoys.
The GHF distribution network was set up as part of an Israeli-approved relief initiative to deliver humanitarian supplies across Gaza during the war. But residents say even those efforts have often descended into deadly disorder as masses of hungry families gather in hopes of securing flour, rice, and other staples.
Wednesday’s incident marked one of the deadliest days recently at an aid location. Medical teams rushed the injured to nearby field hospitals already overwhelmed by casualties from Israeli airstrikes that hit residential areas across central and northern Gaza overnight.
