Thousands of desperate Palestinians overran a new aid distribution site in Gaza on Monday, just a day after operations began under the controversial US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). The chaotic scenes unfolded in Rafah, where videos captured people surging through torn fences and over earth berms, seeking food and supplies.
The GHF initiative, which bypasses UN channels and is protected by armed American contractors with Israeli military support, aims to deliver aid directly to civilians amid mounting food insecurity. However, critics, including the UN, warn that the approach undermines humanitarian principles, risks excluding vulnerable populations, and politicizes aid distribution.
The UN described the scenes as “heartbreaking” and reiterated its readiness to deploy a coordinated and principled plan to address the needs of Gaza’s 2.1 million residents. A UN spokesperson emphasized that humanitarian operations must adhere to neutrality, impartiality, and independence.
Witnesses at the scene reported chaos and gunfire, as Israeli troops reportedly fired warning shots to control the surging crowd. Aid seekers described the experience as “humiliating” and said many were forced to scale gates or fight for food. A woman at the site said people were so desperate they were willing to “risk their lives just to feed their children.”
The GHF claimed to have distributed the equivalent of 462,000 meals but accused Hamas of imposing blockades and threatening local NGOs—claims Hamas denies. The group’s executive director, Jake Wood, resigned on Sunday, saying the distribution model failed to meet humanitarian standards. The board dismissed his concerns and accused detractors of protecting the “status quo.”
Israel has defended GHF’s efforts, asserting the need to prevent Hamas from misappropriating aid, a charge the group refutes. The U.S. State Department welcomed the initiative as a “bold” step to provide relief, despite criticism from aid organizations.
With at least half a million people facing starvation, and over 54,000 killed in Gaza since the war began, the humanitarian crisis remains dire. The UN says insecurity and coordination issues hinder its ability to distribute supplies, leaving hundreds of aid trucks stuck at the border and civilians in peril.
