A United Nations warehouse in central Gaza was stormed by crowds of desperate Palestinians on Wednesday, highlighting the territory’s escalating humanitarian crisis as the region teeters on the brink of famine.
The World Food Programme (WFP) confirmed the breach, describing the crowd as “hordes of hungry people.” Initial reports from the scene indicate that at least two individuals died and several more were injured during the incident. The U.N. agency appealed for an urgent scale-up of food aid in the war-ravaged enclave to “reassure people that they will not starve.”
Eyewitness video independently verified by Reuters shows chaotic scenes as people forced their way into the warehouse, grabbing boxes and bags of aid. Gunfire can be heard in the background. The circumstances surrounding the deaths and injuries remain unclear.
A man carries a sack as people gather at an aid distribution center in Deir Al-Balah, in the Gaza Strip, May 28, 2025. Obtained by Reuters/via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT.
Aid Trickling In, But Not Enough
The raid comes just 10 days after Israel ended an 11-week blockade of humanitarian aid into Gaza, permitting limited deliveries through United Nations channels and the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). But aid groups say the current flow is woefully insufficient for the scale of the crisis.
According to Reuters, Sigrid Kaag, U.N. Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, told the Security Council that what has been delivered so far is “comparable to a lifeboat after the ship has sunk,” with every person in Gaza at risk of famine.
The situation has drawn urgent international attention. A new ceasefire proposal from the United States is expected to be presented shortly. “We are on the precipice of sending out a new term sheet,” said U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff. “The president is going to review it.”
Since the partial resumption of aid deliveries, Israel has approved about 800 truckloads of relief. But U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric stated that only about 200 trucks had been successfully collected by U.N. teams on the Palestinian side of the Kerem Shalom crossing due to insecurity and limited access.
International pressure on Israel is mounting. France, the U.K., Canada, and Germany have signaled potential consequences if the military campaign does not halt. On Wednesday, Italy called the offensive “unacceptable.”
Mounting Tensions and Death Toll
Meanwhile, violence continues. On Wednesday, Israeli airstrikes reportedly killed at least 30 people, according to Palestinian health officials. The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 250 hostages, according to Israeli figures. Since then, more than 53,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s military campaign, Gaza health authorities report.
In a statement on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the killing of Hamas’s Gaza chief, Mohammad Sinwar, marked a step toward the “complete defeat of Hamas.” He added that Israel is “taking control of food distribution” in Gaza due to concerns over aid diversion by Hamas—an accusation the group denies.
A truck carrying aid arrives at the Kerem Shalom crossing between Israel and Gaza, on its Israeli side, May 28, 2025. REUTERS/Shafiek Tassiem
U.N. vs. GHF: A Dispute Over Distribution
Israel and the U.S. have promoted the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which uses private U.S. logistics and security firms to deliver food through “secure distribution sites.” However, the U.N. and other international organizations have refused to work with the GHF, citing concerns about neutrality, surveillance, and the politicization of aid.
“This new scheme is surveillance-based rationing that legitimizes a policy of deprivation by design,” said Jonathan Whittall, senior U.N. aid official for the occupied Palestinian territories. “It violates humanitarian principles.”
Israeli Ambassador to the U.N., Danny Danon, urged the U.N. to cooperate. “The U.N. should put their ego aside and work with the new mechanism,” he told reporters.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee criticized the U.N.’s stance, calling it “sad and disgusting,” and praised the GHF for effective operations so far.
Palestinians gather at an aid distribution center in Deir Al-Balah, in the Gaza Strip, May 28, 2025, in this picture obtained by Reuters. Obtained by Reuters/via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT.
However, incidents at GHF distribution sites have raised concerns. On Tuesday, the Israeli military fired warning shots to disperse a crowd that breached fences near a distribution hub. The U.N. human rights office reported 47 injuries during that rush, although the GHF denies any injuries occurred at its site.
Despite these challenges, the GHF says it has distributed the equivalent of 840,262 meals and opened a second hub on Wednesday, with plans to expand further.
