Chaos marks rollout of aid distribution in Gaza by US-Israel sponsored private foundation

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the private entity responsible for distributing humanitarian aid in the Strip, replacing the United Nations, delayed food distribution Wednesday to make “adjustments” to its operations and ensure the “security” of the operation. The operation’s chaotic start on Tuesday left one person dead, the UN confirmed, and 47 people injured by Israeli army fire, according to Ajith Sunghay, head of the OHCHR office in the occupied Palestinian territory. Hamas, the Islamist militia that de facto rules the Strip, claims there were three deaths.

In the afternoon, the GHF stated that “the two centers” that are currently operational resumed activity “without incident.” However, Hamas, the Islamist militia that de facto rules the Strip, raised to 10 the number of people killed and 62 injured in “shooting” by Israeli forces.

In a statement, the GHF attempted to convey a message of normality. It denied that shots were fired and described as “false” the reports that there were dead or wounded.

Earlier Wednesday, the opaque Israeli-U.S.-backed entity detailed in a statement that the two operational centers out of the four planned had resumed operations and distributed “approximately 14,550 food boxes.” Each batch, it indicated, feeds 5.5 people for 3.5 days, or a total of “840,262 meals,” it estimates. GHF is working to open the other two planned centers and has “plans to build additional sites across Gaza in the weeks ahead,” according to the statement.

Amid the controversial rollout of the GHF operation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Wednesday that his armed forces had killed Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar in Gaza. Sinwar assumed the position left vacant when his older brother, Yahya Sinwar — the mastermind of the October 7, 2023 attacks that left over 1,200 Israelis dead, with 253 taken hostage, sparking the war in the Strip — was eliminated in mid-October of last year.

The Israeli prime minister confirmed Sinwar’s death, which had been announced previously, in a speech in parliament. Netanyahu explained that the Hamas leader was targeted by an Israeli airstrike near the European Hospital in the southern Gaza Strip earlier this month. However, despite Netanyahu’s assertion, Israeli defense sources later told the Israeli daily Haaretz that they were not certain of Sinwar’s death.

The announcement came on the 600th day of the war and amid growing international pressure for Israel to cease its offensive in Gaza, accept the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement, and allow the free entry of humanitarian aid.

The attacks against civilian structures within the framework of Operation Gideon’s Chariots, which aims to destroy and occupy the entire Gaza Strip, and the chaotic distribution of aid have increased the discontent of the international community. Even countries that — like Germany — had not previously questioned the military actions of the Netanyahu government have in recent days criticized the escalation since Israel unilaterally broke the ceasefire on March 18. Since then, 3,924 people have died and 11,267 have been injured in Israeli attacks, according to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Ministry of Health.

Chaotic distribution of aid

On its first day, GHF said it had distributed 8,000 boxes, the contents of which, according to its estimates, could prepare 462,000 meals. The foundation, which, according to Israeli officials, aims to prevent aid from falling into the hands of Hamas and ensure it reaches the civilian population, has been heavily criticized by the humanitarian community.

The desperation of Gaza’s 2.2 million inhabitants, on the verge of starvation after two months of a total blockade — which ended just a week ago when Israel allowed a minimal amount of aid into the enclave — led to a massive influx of people to Tuesday’s controversial distribution, which eventually spiraled out of control as crowds invaded the site in search of supplies. Israeli forces acknowledged firing shots, but clarified that they did so outside the compound and into the air to disperse the crowd. However, following the fatal events, the GHF reported that it must make “adjustments” before resuming its activities and that it is working to resume distribution as soon as possible.

“I’m not going to address either gossip or complaints or people who knew or weren’t included or would do it a different way or who’s shooting at whom,” said Tammy Bruce, a spokeswoman for the U.S. State Department, in a press briefing at the White House. “The real story here is that aid and food is moving into Gaza at a massive scale at this point when you’re looking at 8,000 food boxes. Was this going to be like going to the mall or through a drive-thru? No, it wasn’t. This is a complicated environment, and the story is the fact that it’s working,” she said. “I don’t speak for this foundation, but clearly we’ve got to welcome any dynamic that allows getting aid and food into the region, which is happening right now. And that’s the story.”

Hamas calls new aid system “trap” for civilians

Hamas has denounced the system implemented by Israel as a “trap” for civilians and criticized its attempts to exclude the UN from humanitarian efforts. “Images of civilians running toward aid distribution centers confirm the failure of the Israeli mechanism and its transformation into a trap that threatens the lives of civilians,” the Islamist militant group said. In its statement, it added that Israel seeks to “serve the political and military objectives of the occupation, not to provide aid.”

Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner-General of the U.N. agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA), predicted last Friday that images of desperate Gazans struggling to get their hands on aid like those seen Tuesday would emerge.

“No one should be surprised, let alone shocked, at scenes of precious aid looted, stolen or ‘lost,’” he wrote at the time. “The people of Gaza have been starved and deprived of the basics including water and medicines for more than 11 weeks. Mothers and fathers have run out of food for their children. Older people died because of lack of medicines. The aid going in now is a needle in a haystack.”

The UN and NGOs on the ground have reaffirmed their call for the Netanyahu government to allow “a meaningful and uninterrupted flow of aid,” in Lazzarini’s words. UN agencies estimate that between 500 and 600 trucks are needed daily to meet basic needs in the Gaza Strip.

One of the organizations that has joined this call is World Central Kitchen (WCK). The organization, which lost seven of its workers in Gaza in an Israeli attack a year ago, noted on its X profile that its trucks are being held up at the Kerem Shalom crossing. “The IDF [Israel Defense Forces] has not yet provided safe routes for bringing the supplies to our kitchens.”

The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), the Israeli Ministry of Defense unit responsible for humanitarian logistics in the Gaza Strip, responded to the NGO led by Spanish chef José Andrés: “The WCK and other agencies and organizations had several alternative routes available to collect aid at the crossing.” It blamed the organization for not collecting the supplies: “It was their decision.”

The head of this unit, Ghassan Alian, stated that COGAT has “reached out to all humanitarian organizations and the international community” to participate in the distribution of aid. “However, in recent days, the UN has shirked its role and, instead, continues to spread false and inaccurate information about the distress of civilians.”

IDF international spokesman Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani went a step further, denouncing a global campaign against aid distribution. “In the last 24 hours international organizations are on a campaign. Not a campaign of distributing aid, but a campaign against the country facilitating aid into Gaza. And worse — it’s a campaign of disinformation serving terrorists. Why are the UN and other organizations so worried about aid reaching Gazan civilians without terrorists being able to put their hands on it?” he wrote on X, mentioning various UN agencies and leaders.

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