A chaotic scene at a Gaza aid distribution point in Khan Younis turned deadly on Wednesday, leaving at least 20 Palestinians dead.
The food centre, operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US and Israel-backed group, was the site of what has been described as a fatal “crowd surge” triggered by alleged agitators within the crowd.
The GHF reported that 19 individuals were trampled and one was fatally stabbed in the chaos.
In a statement, the organisation claimed the unrest was incited by “armed elements affiliated with Hamas,” asserting that firearms were spotted among the crowd and that a US staff member was threatened with a weapon.
While Hamas has not yet commented on the incident, Palestinian health officials confirmed to Reuters that at least 20 people had died from suffocation in the tightly packed space. A medic present said the crowd was crushed due to severe overcrowding.
The United Nations, which has previously labelled GHF-operated centres as “death traps,” had already documented 875 deaths near such aid sites and convoys over the past six weeks - most of them at GHF locations.
Despite the risks, many Palestinians continue to turn to GHF aid centres out of sheer necessity.
Gaza remains under a strict Israeli blockade, and humanitarian access has been severely limited, leaving civilians in desperate need. According to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), one in every ten children in Gaza is now malnourished.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini has condemned the situation, calling the shortages of essential food supplies “engineered and man-made.”
The GHF began its food distribution operations in late May, after Israel temporarily eased an 11-week ban on humanitarian deliveries. However, the group’s presence has drawn criticism for bypassing the UN-coordinated aid system and employing private American security and logistics firms - a model the UN says compromises safety and violates humanitarian neutrality.
In response, GHF has defended its approach and accused the UN of spreading misinformation. Israeli officials support the model, claiming it minimises the risk of Hamas diverting aid - an accusation Hamas denies.