A US and Israeli-backed aid distribution effort has come under criticism after Israeli troops opened fire on starving Palestinians crowding a humanitarian relief point in Rafah, killing at least three civilians and injuring 46, with seven people still missing.
The chaotic and deadly scene on Tuesday was managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a controversial organisation promoted by both Israel and the US.
According to eyewitnesses, panic and hunger pushed desperate crowds into the aid zone, only to be met with Israeli gunfire.
While the Israeli military claimed it had fired warning shots to restore order outside the site, Gaza’s Government Media Office labelled the incident a "deliberate massacre" and a "war crime committed in cold blood". The office also accused Israeli forces of baiting starving civilians into "buffer zones" under the pretence of aid.
"This massacre is not an isolated incident; it is a direct outcome of an inhumane aid policy designed more for control than compassion," the statement said.
'Heartbreaking images'
Gaza remains under siege, with crossings largely sealed, electricity scarce, and UN agencies reporting rampant food insecurity.
The GHF has denied any wrongdoing, claiming its staff briefly withdrew during the surge to allow space for calm and later resumed operations, distributing what it estimates to be over 460,000 meals. However, humanitarian groups argue that the situation reveals deep flaws in the programme’s design.
Hardin Lang, vice president for programs and policy at Refugees International, accused the GHF of operating under a "military logic".
"This is not how you feed a population on the verge of famine," he said, warning that the site lacked proper safety protocols, medical access, or coordination with experienced aid agencies.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said aid must be distributed impartially and safely, adding that "the images are heartbreaking. What we saw from this plan does not meet those principles".
GHF’s operation, marketed as a safe alternative to traditional UN and NGO distribution routes, has been promoted heavily by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who described the carnage as a "momentary loss of control" during a press conference.
The US State Department defended the aid initiative, downplaying the incident as "complaints about style". Spokesperson Tammy Bruce insisted the effort was succeeding and accused Hamas of trying to sabotage the distribution. "This is a complicated environment, and the story is that it’s working," she said.
'Racially segregated ghettos'
But Palestinian authorities, local NGOs, and international observers disagree. The Norwegian Refugee Council’s Ahmed Bayram called for the initiative to be scrapped.
"This is not how aid should be done, not by an occupying power in a city it has flattened," he said.
Gaza’s media office called the sites "racially segregated ghettos" disguised as humanitarian zones. A detailed statement accused GHF of coordinating with Israeli intelligence and misappropriating aid shipments from neutral international organisations. GHF is a new operation without a website and a Wikipedia page with contact with the group difficult.
In a statement, the office demanded an immediate halt to GHF operations, an international investigation into the deaths, and unrestricted access for independent humanitarian agencies. It also called on the UN Security Council and global powers to pressure Israel into lifting the siege.
"What happened in Rafah is not a mishap. It is the outcome of a deliberate policy to use hunger as a weapon," the statement said.