20 Palestinians killed at Gaza aid site as GHF faces global outcry

Crowd surge blamed for deaths as tensions rise over Israel’s control and humanitarian aid delivery in Gaza

A humanitarian catastrophe unfolded on Wednesday in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, where a crowd surge at an aid distribution site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) left at least 20 Palestinians dead, Reuters reported. According to the US-backed, Israeli-supported GHF, 19 individuals were trampled, and one was fatally stabbed during the incident.

Palestinian health officials reported a slightly higher death toll of 21, citing suffocation as the primary cause. A medic on the scene said people were “crammed into a small space and crushed.” The victims had gathered at the GHF site in desperation, hoping to secure basic necessities in a territory devastated by war and starvation.

GHF under fire

The incident has reignited fierce criticism of the GHF’s aid model. The United Nations previously warned that GHF’s operations violate humanitarian impartiality standards, a claim the foundation has repeatedly denied. The GHF bypasses the UN-led system by using private US logistics firms, a practice Israel supports but which has fueled accusations of inequity and mismanagement.

Amjad Al-Shawa, the Director of the Palestinian NGOs Network, blamed the GHF for what he described as “gross negligence.” He said the foundation had failed to implement crowd control, creating a volatile environment for desperate civilians. “People who flock in their thousands are hungry and exhausted, squeezed into narrow spaces amid shortages of aid,” he said.

The UN rights office stated Tuesday that at least 875 Palestinians had been killed near aid distribution sites and convoys in the last six weeks. Most of those deaths occurred near GHF points and were attributed to Israeli gunfire. The Israeli military has acknowledged harming civilians near these locations and promised to adjust its protocols.

Strategic road deepens Gaza’s fragmentation

On the same day, the Israeli military confirmed it had completed a new road in southern Gaza designed to isolate eastern Khan Younis from the rest of the territory. While Israel claims the road disrupts Hamas movements, Palestinians view it as a territorial imposition meant to gain leverage in ongoing ceasefire talks.

The Senior Hamas official Basem Naim said the move exposes Israel’s intent to remain in Gaza permanently. “It confirms long-term occupation plans and contradicts everything Israel tells mediators,” Naim posted on Facebook.

Hamas has rejected Israel’s alleged aim of maintaining control over 40% of the Strip and has demanded the dismantling of the GHF, calling instead for a return to a UN-administered aid system.

Ongoing war takes deadly toll

The Israeli airstrikes killed at least 17 people across Gaza on Wednesday, bringing the total Palestinian death toll to over 58,000 since the war began in October 2023, according to local health authorities. Nearly the entire population of Gaza has been displaced, and hunger continues to spread at alarming rates.

The conflict was triggered by a Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, that killed 1,200 people in Israel. Since then, over 1,650 Israelis and foreign nationals have died. Around 50 individuals remain hostages in Gaza, including 28 declared dead.

As truce talks continue under the mediation of Egypt and Qatar, the latest developments — from aid site tragedies to strategic infrastructure projects — cast doubt on the likelihood of a ceasefire. Despite international pressure, Israel insists the war will continue until Hamas is disarmed and removed from Gaza.