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Jerusalem, 17 July 2025 – At least 20 people have died in a tragic crush at an aid distribution centre in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, operated by the US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), according to the organisation and local hospital reports.The GHF reported that 19 individuals were trampled to death and one was stabbed during a "chaotic and dangerous surge" at the site. The organisation alleged that individuals "armed and affiliated with Hamas" incited the unrest. However, Gaza’s Hamas-run Government Media Office rejected these claims, accusing the GHF of attempting to conceal a crime. Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis confirmed receiving 21 bodies, with deaths attributed to suffocation from tear gas inhalation and the crush. A graphic video verified by the BBC showed a witness at the hospital standing on a cart with the bodies of six boys and men, claiming they were crushed between fences at the GHF site while waiting for food aid on Wednesday. “They are children. What is their fault, dying for aid?” the witness said, describing how narrow fencing contributed to the tragedy. Mahmoud Fojo, a 21-year-old injured survivor, told Reuters that contractors closed the gates as crowds gathered, leading to people being crushed. Another witness, Ahmed Abu Omra, alleged that armed contractors fired “pepper bombs” into the crowd, exacerbating the chaos. The Government Media Office claimed security contractors caused the crush by closing gates and firing tear gas and live rounds. A GHF spokesperson denied these allegations, stating that no tear gas or live rounds were used, though limited pepper spray was deployed to prevent further loss of life. They added that an American worker risked their life to rescue a child from the crowd. At a press briefing, GHF spokesperson Chapin Fay claimed the incident was instigated by “armed Hamas operatives” who incited chaos, and that the stabbed individual was a medic tackling a Hamas affiliate. The GHF, which uses private security contractors to distribute aid in Israeli military zones, has faced criticism from the UN, which refuses to cooperate, calling the setup unethical. The UN human rights office reported 674 killings near GHF’s four sites in southern and central Gaza over the past six weeks, alongside 201 deaths along other aid convoy routes. Witnesses have frequently reported shootings by Israeli forces near aid sites since GHF operations began in May. The Israeli military acknowledged civilian harm in some incidents and said it is working to minimise such occurrences. The UN’s Thameen Al-Kheetan highlighted the severe shortage of humanitarian aid in Gaza, noting that hundreds of thousands of desperate people gather at just a few distribution points, leading to chaos and a breakdown of law and order. He urged Israel to facilitate unimpeded access to humanitarian aid to meet the needs of Gaza’s civilian population. This incident marks the first time the GHF has confirmed deaths at one of its aid sites, amid ongoing tensions and violence surrounding aid distribution in the region.
