A photograph released by the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), allegedly showing aid distribution in Tel al-Sultan, west of Rafah in southern Gaza, has faced allegations of fabrication.
The image, circulated early on Tuesday, shows fewer than 20 individuals receiving food parcels at a site newly established by the Israeli military for the US-backed foundation.
The recipients appear dressed in unusually clean clothing, inconsistent with Gaza's current conditions, with their faces deliberately obscured, prompting accusations that the scene was staged to fabricate a sense of success.
The aid plan, which has been endorsed by Israel but rejected by the UN and international aid groups, was expected to begin distributing supplies on Monday but was delayed due to "logistical reasons". The group alleged early on Tuesday that it had begun doing so, despite authorities in Gaza denying that any assistance reached civilians.
The foundation claimed that truckloads of food had been delivered to its hubs, without specifying the number of trucks or how recipients were chosen.
Later reports on Tuesday said the operations had finally begun in Rafah under heavy Israeli military supervision, and were accompanied by arrests, chaotic biometric screening, and restricted access for most civilians.
More than 2.4 million Palestinians in Gaza are suffering under a tight Israeli blockade imposed since 2 March, with Israel allowing only minimal aid to enter. This limited access, described by the UN chief Antonio Guterres as a "teaspoon" in comparison to the needs of the starving population, followed Hamas's release of US-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander under a US-brokered deal with the Trump administration.
Palestinians and local institutions have overwhelmingly rejected the new Israeli-imposed distribution mechanism, which consolidates aid into just four collection points, three near the former settlement of Morag in the south, and one in central Gaza. Palestinians say the plan is tied to Israeli military goals to forcibly expel civilians from north to south of the strip.
An investigation from The New York Times earlier this week described the GHF as an "Israeli brainchild" conceived by a network of officials, military officers, and businessmen with close ties to the Israeli government. The initiative emerged in late 2023 as part of a strategy to bypass traditional humanitarian channels like the UN and deliver aid through private contractors in Israeli-controlled zones of Gaza.
The project's backers include individuals who straddle both military and civilian spheres, blurring the lines between humanitarian aid and military strategy. Key figures include venture capitalist Michael Eisenberg, strategic consultant Yotam HaCohen, and tech investor Liran Tancman, each with links to the Israeli military or government coordination bodies.
The CEO of the controversial group, Jake Wood, had resigned just hours before the organisation was due to begin operations, adding to the confusion and fuelling speculation over the programme’s credibility.
Local reactions to the latest image released by the group have been scathing.
In a post on X, the chairman of the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, Ramy Abdu, claimed that the failure to launch its operations on schedule had forced the GHF to "stage a scene showing individuals allegedly receiving aid".
"The image features people in suspiciously clean clothes - virtually impossible under current conditions. Moreover, the photo shows them from behind, with no explanation of their arrival or aid distribution," Abdu added.
Palestinian writer Ahmed Ghanem alleged the photograph of a "theatrical production", pointing out the appearance and pristine clothing as signs that the images were staged.
"Faces are hidden, lines are orderly, boxes are balanced on heads – this is no scene of hunger or survival," he said. "It's a performance, minus the truth."
Others questioned the logistics. Palestinian activist Mohammad Skeik asked how people were able to reach the site when Gaza's roads are bombed and movement is perilous. "Do they expect people to travel 30 or 40 kilometres under fire for a food parcel?" he wrote.
The director of Gaza's Government Media Office, Ismail al-Thawabta, also denounced the image as "fabricated and misleading", saying no aid had entered Gaza in the last 48 hours since the image was released.
He told Al-Araby TV that Israel continues to push propaganda to falsely portray humanitarian progress amid mounting Western criticism of the war on Gaza.