A joint probe conducted by the Forensic Architecture and the World Peace Foundation has uncovered at least 64 incidents of Palestinian civilians being attacked by the Israeli army while seeking aid in Gaza.
The report highlights that 25 of these incidents occurred at and around food distribution sites of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a controversial organization backed by the US and Israel.
Palestinians were forced to walk an average of 6km (3.7 miles) to arrive at a GHF ration station, underscoring the dire circumstances surrounding aid distribution.
The investigation’s findings are particularly concerning given the principles of humanitarian aid, which dictate that assistance should not be used for military or political gain.
“In the face of well-established humanitarian principles that require that humanitarian aid not be misused for military or political ends, Israel is instrumentalizing aid,” the report noted.
This sentiment is echoed by critics of the GHF, who argue that the organization’s involvement enables Israel to further its military objectives in Gaza.
The GHF’s operations have been marred by controversy, with the UN and other aid groups refusing to cooperate due to concerns over the organization’s neutrality.
In fact, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, described aid distribution under the GHF’s mechanism as a “death trap”.
The organization’s executive director, Jake Woods, resigned before the distribution began, citing the impossibility of adhering to humanitarian principles.
The situation on the ground is dire, with Palestinians facing extreme danger while attempting to access basic necessities like food.
Hind Khoudary reported from Deir el-Balah in central Gaza, Palestinians are being killed while trying to secure “one meal for their children”.
This grim reality is further underscored by the Government Media Office’s description of GHF distribution sites as “mass death traps, not humanitarian relief points”.
The international community has also expressed outrage over the violence surrounding aid distribution.
The UN Human Rights Office has stressed that Israel’s militarized humanitarian assistance mechanism violates international standards on aid distribution and endangers civilians.
“The weaponization of food for civilians and restricting or preventing their access to other life-sustaining services constitute a war crime and may constitute elements of other international crimes, including genocide,” the office warned.
In recent months, the situation has only deteriorated, with reports indicating that over 410 Palestinians have been killed since the GHF began operating on May 27.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights emphasized that Israel has a duty to ensure the provision of food and medical care to the population, commensurate with their needs.
“Desperate, hungry people in Gaza continue to face the inhumane choice of either starving to death or risk being killed while trying to get food,” the Commissioner noted.