As Gaza faces record-breaking hunger, countless civilians are struggling to reach aid. Since May 2025, more than 1,000 Palestinians have died—many of them children—while attempting to collect food from distribution points under the Israel‑backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) system. Witnesses describe it as “hell on Earth”, with chaotic crowds, militarized zones, and deadly shootings.
Why This Matters
- Aid access is lethal: Aid hubs operated by GHF, often located near Israeli military positions, have been scene to shootings, stampedes, and civilian deaths—with at least 400 killed in the past weeks.
- UN strongly objects: The UN and numerous international partners criticize the system for violating international humanitarian law, calling on Israel to restore UN-run aid channels and cease its dangerous distribution model.
Conditions on the Ground
- Starvation amid siege: Gaza is plagued with acute food scarcity. Over 244,000 people face catastrophic hunger, and WHO staff are collapsing while delivering aid.
- Restricted aid points: Aid has been limited to just four GHF-controlled centers—replacing 400 UN-managed sites—forcing huge gatherings in controlled zones. Civilians are reportedly shot near these distribution hubs.
- Collapse of humanitarian lifelines: The WHO confirms attacks on its own facilities in Deir al‑Balah, crippling medical aid and assistance delivery.
UN & Expert Condemnation
- Weaponizing starvation: UN human rights experts and Sigrid Kaag—UN’s top aid coordinator in Gaza—have condemned Israel’s unilateral changes to ceasefire aid standards as tantamount to collective punishment and violation of Geneva Convention obligations.
- Legal breaches cited: The system is being labeled as possible war crimes for deliberately cutting off essential aid in defiance of international law.
What Happens Next
- Global pressure intensifies: Dozens of nations, led by the UK and UN officials like Antonio Guterres and David Lammy, have called for immediate reform or dismantling of the GHF system.
- Aid system overhaul demanded: Reversion to UNRWA-led distribution and expansion of safe aid access routes remain urgent priorities.
- Criminal and legal scrutiny: Human rights groups consider that the starvation crisis and restricted aid may warrant accountability under international criminal law.
Gaza residents describe their reality as hell, trapped within a broken aid system. With famine looming and existing aid delivery methods blamed for escalating deaths, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation model faces unprecedented global condemnation. The UN and its partners are demanding an immediate return to safe, UN-backed humanitarian access before more lives are lost—and more international law is ignored.