DaydofPal- More than 700 Palestinians have been killed while attempting to obtain food aid in the Gaza Strip in recent weeks, according to new figures from Gaza’s Health Ministry, fueling growing outrage over a controversial U.S.- and Israeli-backed aid initiative.
On Saturday, the ministry reported that at least 743 Palestinians have been killed and more than 4,891 wounded while seeking assistance at distribution points run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a project launched in late May.
The GHF has come under intense scrutiny following numerous reports that aid seekers have been shot at or attacked—not only by Israeli forces but also allegedly by security staff employed by the aid scheme itself.
Earlier this week, the Associated Press cited American contractors who claimed that live ammunition and stun grenades were fired at civilians attempting to collect food from GHF distribution centers. Two unnamed U.S. contractors described heavily armed staff operating with impunity.
The GHF dismissed the AP report as “categorically false”, stating that it takes the safety of its sites “extremely seriously.” However, humanitarian groups and rights organizations are demanding that the entire operation be shut down.
In response to rising tensions, the GHF confirmed on Saturday that two American workers were injured when grenades were thrown at one of its sites in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. The organization stated that both were in stable condition, but it remains unclear who was responsible for the attack.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration has continued to back the initiative. A U.S. State Department spokesperson described the GHF as the “one entity that has gotten food and aid into the Gaza Strip,” and in late June, the administration pledged $30 million in direct funding to the group.
But pressure is mounting. Humanitarian agencies accuse the GHF of creating “overcrowded, militarized zones” where civilians face daily threats of gunfire and mass casualties. As food insecurity worsens and international criticism grows, the future of the aid program remains in question.
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