A humanitarian aid distribution event in southern Gaza turned deadly on Wednesday, with at least 20 Palestinians losing their lives during a chaotic crowd surge near Khan Younis. The tragedy unfolded at a center operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a U.S.-backed aid organization supported by Israel.
According to GHF, 19 people were trampled to death and one person was fatally stabbed during the crowd unrest at one of its distribution sites. The organization blamed the chaos on “armed agitators” allegedly linked to Hamas, claiming they deliberately incited panic among the crowd.
There has been no immediate comment from Hamas regarding these accusations.
Conflicting Reports on Cause of Deaths
Palestinian health officials reported that at least 21 people died of suffocation due to overcrowding. One medical worker described how individuals were crushed in a confined space. The Civil Defense agency also cited 20 deaths, attributing them to both gunfire from Israeli forces and panic during the aid rush in the al-Tina area of southwestern Khan Younis.
Thousands of desperate people, including women and children, had gathered at the site in search of food. According to Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Civil Defense, Israeli forces allegedly opened fire and used chemical agents to disperse the crowd, further fueling the chaos. He also claimed that GHF guards had closed the main gates of the center, trapping those inside.
SENSITIVE MATERIAL. THIS IMAGE MAY OFFEND OR DISTURB People carry a body as they mourn Palestinians who were killed in an incident on Wednesday while seeking aid in Khan Younis, at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip July 16, 2025. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled
A doctor at the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis confirmed receiving the bodies of nine victims, including several children, who were reportedly killed by Israeli fire and GHF security personnel.
Mounting Death Toll at Aid Sites
This incident adds to a growing list of casualties at humanitarian distribution points across Gaza. The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has documented at least 875 deaths near aid centers and convoys over the past six weeks. Most of these deaths occurred near GHF-operated locations and were attributed by local sources to Israeli military action.
A man brings a Palestinian, who was seeking aid on Wednesday in Khan Younis, into Nasser hospital following an incident, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip July 16, 2025. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled
The GHF relies on private American logistics and security firms to deliver aid, largely bypassing the UN-run system. Israel has supported this approach, arguing that the UN mechanism allowed militant groups to seize supplies meant for civilians — a claim Hamas denies.
However, the UN has criticized GHF’s operational model as “inherently unsafe,” citing violations of impartial humanitarian principles.
Calls for Accountability
Amjad al-Shawa, director of the Palestinian NGO Network, sharply criticized GHF, accusing the organization of mismanagement and failure to control crowds. “People are starving and exhausted. They are crammed into narrow spaces with little aid and no coordination or discipline from GHF,” he told Reuters.
SENSITIVE MATERIAL. THIS IMAGE MAY OFFEND OR DISTURB People walk next bodies of Palestinians, who were seeking aid on Wednesday in Khan Younis, following an incident, at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip July 16, 2025. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled
New Military Developments
Earlier the same day, the Israeli military announced the completion of a new road cutting through southern Gaza. The road, which isolates parts of Khan Younis from the rest of the enclave, is reportedly intended to disrupt Hamas operations.
Palestinians view the road as a strategic move by Israel to strengthen its control over the territory. The development comes amid ongoing ceasefire negotiations, mediated by Egypt and Qatar with U.S. support, that began on July 6. Sources familiar with the talks say little progress has been made on key issues.
A Palestinian, who was seeking aid on Wednesday in Khan Younis, receives medical attention at Nasser hospital following an incident, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip July 16, 2025. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled
Hamas has claimed that Israel intends to maintain control over at least 40% of Gaza as part of any agreement — a condition the group rejects. It has also called for the dismantling of GHF and a return to UN-managed aid distribution.
Bassem Naim, a senior Hamas official, stated that the new road reveals Israel’s long-term plans to remain in Gaza and continue military operations, contradicting its public stance in peace talks. “This proves the occupation does not intend to withdraw or end the war,” Naim said in a Facebook post.
While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that the war will only end once Hamas is disarmed and removed from Gaza, violence continues. Local health authorities reported that at least 17 people were killed on Wednesday in Israeli strikes across the territory.
As the humanitarian crisis deepens, international concern is growing over the safety and effectiveness of aid efforts in Gaza — and the heavy human toll exacted by both logistical failures and continued hostilities.
