On Monday, one such tragic occurrence took the form of a shooting spree around food distribution centers operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). At least 37 Palestinians were killed in this horrific attack. This tragic event marks the highest death toll reported during ongoing violence since GHF commenced its operations three weeks ago. In Gaza, health officials told us that the majority of those killed died while attempting to access the GHF facility. This major center is situated close to Rafah, the southernmost city of Gaza, and the Egyptian border.
Here’s why the situation is so dire. Since the attack on October 7, 2023, the Israeli military has permitted foreign reporters entry into Gaza only under the guard of the Israeli military. This provision has made it difficult for the region to continue sharing accurate, up-to-date information in the face of continued humanitarian calamity. As a result, contradictory guidance on access to food distribution sites has been issued by both GHF and Israeli officials.
Tens of thousands of evacuees are working their way to these food distribution centers. In doing so, they frequently pass through dangerous zones that are supposedly off-limits due to active conflict. As a result, the GHF has delivered or shipped nearly 36,000 food boxes. This initiative has delivered more than 2.1 million meals to everyone experiencing extreme food scarcity because of the intensified blockade that Israel implemented in March and April.
Palestinian health officials say pandemonium has broken out as people scramble in line to get food and medical supplies. Since GHF opened its distribution sites last month, scores of people have been killed and hundreds more have been injured. On Monday, violence broke out at the traffic circle about a quarter mile from the GHF community center. To discourage suspects from getting near their posts, IDF soldiers fired warning shots.
Despite their protestations when initially confronted, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) made their game plain. Even as the IDF had continuously warned that Rafah was an active combat zone, many of the suspects tried to approach IDF troops conducting operations in Rafah, representing an immediate and lethal threat to them. IDF troops opened fire to remove the threat and prevent the suspects from approaching. They flexed their muscles by firing warning shots.
In an even wider frame, the UN high commissioner for human rights, Volker Türk, expressed outrage at what was happening in the Gaza Strip. He condemned Israel’s current, unprecedentedly violent offensive as causing “horrifying, unconscionable suffering” to the Palestinian people. Türk emphasized the urgent need for action, urging all government officials with influence to exert pressure on both Israel and Hamas to alleviate the suffering endured by civilians.
“Everyone in government needs to wake up to what is happening in Gaza. All those with influence must exert maximum pressure on Israel and Hamas, to put an end to this unbearable suffering.” – Volker Türk, UN high commissioner for human rights
The GHF has weathered profound challenges in its first years of operation. Conflicting instructions from Israeli military sources have further confused the routes for entering food hubs. The Department of Defense has detailed concrete steps for access. GHF is concerned that straying off of these paths can leave people in need of saving at risk.
The International Committee of the Red Cross calls it one of the worst. In just one incident, their field hospital in Gaza treated 200 patients, the greatest number of casualties seen in one response. The reality on the ground is just that bad. Tens of thousands more people nightly walk through hostile deserts, canyons and mountains just to reach access to food, water and healthcare.
In response to all this fire, Israeli officials have come under fire themselves. In response to international observers, the Israeli diplomatic mission in Geneva quickly returned fire. Satellite image shows the devastation in Gaza, October 28, 2023. They further denounced Hamas’s strategy which they say seeks to optimize civilian casualties in Gaza.
“The facts speak for themselves.” – Volker Türk, UN high commissioner for human rights
Her tragic story illustrates the many challenges of delivering humanitarian assistance in active conflict areas. Here, military operations and humanitarian needs intersect in risky ways. As the situation continues to change, so too do the discussions surrounding access to humanitarian aid, the need for and provision of protection of non-combatants in crossfire.