Aid Distribution Chaos: Dozens Killed in Gaza Crush as Witnesses Blame Security Contractors
Gaza City – A stampede at a food aid distribution point in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of dozens of Palestinians, with witnesses describing scenes of chaos and accusations of excessive force by security contractors. the incident, which occurred on Wednesday at a site managed by the American non-profit Global Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), has ignited further outrage amidst the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the besieged territory.
Graphic videos circulating on social media, verified by the BBC, show a cart laden with the bodies of six boys and men at Nasser hospital.A witness, speaking from the scene, recounted how individuals were crushed between fences erected at the GHF site while awaiting food handouts. “They are children. What is it their fault dying for aid?” the man cried out, holding up the body of a young boy.He explained that as people surged forward, those at the front were pushed against the barriers, leading to the fatal crush.
Injured individuals corroborated the account of a chaotic scene. Mahmoud Fojo, 21, who was receiving treatment at the hospital, stated that contractors were “closing the gates” as people gathered. “People kept gathering and pressuring each other. When people pushed each other, those who couldn’t bear it fell down under the people and got run over,” he told Reuters. He added that some individuals attempting to climb over a wire fence sustained injuries.
Another witness,Ahmed Abu Omra,claimed that armed contractors positioned near narrow passageways into the distribution area fired “pepper bombs” into the crowd. The Government Media Office in Gaza echoed these claims,accusing security contractors of causing the crush by shutting the site’s gates after thousands had congregated in confined channels,and subsequently firing tear gas and live ammunition.
A spokesperson for GHF, however, vehemently denied these allegations. “At no point was tear gas deployed, nor were shots fired into the crowd. Limited use of pepper spray was deployed, only to safeguard against additional loss of life,” the spokesperson stated. They also claimed that in at least one instance,an american worker had entered the crowd to rescue a child being trampled.
In a subsequent press briefing,GHF spokesperson Chapin Fay asserted that the deadly incident was “instigated by armed Hamas operatives who infiltrated” the crowd and “deliberately incited chaos that led to 20 deaths.” Fay also alleged that an individual who was stabbed was a medic attempting to apprehend an armed “hamas affiliate.”
The incident underscores the perilous conditions faced by civilians attempting to access essential aid in Gaza, with conflicting accounts emerging from the GHF and local witnesses regarding the precise events that led to the tragic loss of life.
