Gaza Aid Delivery: At Least 38 Palestinians Killed
Gaza Faces Widespread Starvation as Aid delivery System Faces Scrutiny Amid Rising Death Toll
Gaza City/Southern Gaza – Dozens of Palestinians, including women and children, have been killed in recent days while attempting to access desperately needed aid in Gaza, as warnings of imminent famine intensify. The mounting death toll is fueling criticism of Israel’s approach to aid delivery and the role of a US-backed organization tasked with distributing supplies.
Local hospitals report a surge in casualties linked to the struggle for food, with at least 38 Palestinians killed while seeking aid in the past week. Of these, at least 28 died in the Morag Corridor, a heavily militarized Israeli zone in southern Gaza, where witnesses allege Israeli forces repeatedly opened fire on desperate crowds. The Israeli military claims troops fired warning shots and denies knowledge of any casualties.
Further deaths were reported near aid distribution sites run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an american contractor established with Israeli backing. Nasser Hospital confirmed four deaths in the Teina area, en route to a GHF site, while al-Awda Hospital received the bodies of six people killed near a GHF site in central Gaza. GHF maintains there were no violent incidents at or near its locations.
The escalating violence comes as UN-backed food security experts warn that the “worst-case scenario” of famine is unfolding in Gaza, citing “widespread starvation, malnutrition, and disease.” A new UN report reveals that only 1.5 percent of Gaza’s cropland remains accessible and undamaged, severely limiting local food production.
Israel consistently denies allegations of fueling a hunger crisis, instead blaming Hamas and accusing the militant group of weaponizing humanitarian aid. Though, internal US government analysis conducted by USAID in late June found no evidence of systematic theft of US-funded aid by Hamas – a finding echoed by the European Commission. Hamas has repeatedly denied stealing aid.
The GHF was established by Israel in May,after blocking the entry of all food,medicine,and other essential goods for 2.5 months. Israeli and US officials justified the move as a necessary system to prevent Hamas from diverting aid.
Though, the UN has rejected the new aid delivery system, arguing it forces Palestinians to travel long distances, risking their lives for food, and allows Israel to control aid distribution, potentially facilitating mass displacement. The UN human rights office reports at least 1,373 Palestinians have been killed while seeking food since May 27th, with nearly all deaths attributed to Israeli fire.
A growing chorus of UN special rapporteurs and autonomous human rights experts are now calling for the GHF to be dismantled, labeling it “an utterly disturbing exmaple of how humanitarian relief can be exploited for covert military and geopolitical agendas in serious breach of international law.” They argue the organization’s presence is exacerbating the humanitarian crisis and undermining the principles of impartial aid delivery.
The Israeli military maintains it only targets Hamas militants and attributes civilian deaths to the group’s practise of operating within densely populated areas. Despite these claims,the rising death toll among civilians seeking aid raises serious questions about the proportionality and conduct of military operations in Gaza,and the effectiveness – and ethical implications – of the current aid delivery system.