40 Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks on US-backed aid sites in Gaza

Israel has launched two lethal assaults on recently established aid sites managed by the US-supported Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), resulting in the deaths of dozens of Palestinians. These incidents mark the third and fourth attacks on the aid distribution centers in Gaza since they commenced operations last week.

In the early hours of Sunday, Israeli forces launched an assault at a GHF location in Rafah, resulting in the deaths of at least 40 individuals and injuring 150 others.

Shortly thereafter, a Palestinian individual was reported dead following a shooting incident at the GHF distribution center in Gaza City, located south of the area referred to as the Netzarim Corridor.

US-backed humanitarian aid sites commenced operations in the Gaza Strip last Monday. However, early the following morning, as thousands of Palestinians gathered at one of these sites, Israeli forces reportedly opened fire, resulting in the deaths of three Palestinians and injuring numerous others.

The Global Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) announced the inauguration of a second location on Wednesday. On the same day, Israeli forces reportedly opened fire on individuals seeking aid at one of GHF’s sites located west of Rafah, resulting in the deaths of at least six Palestinians.

The Gaza Media Office announced on Sunday that within the span of less than a week, actions by the Israeli regime have resulted in the deaths of 50 individuals and left hundreds injured at GHF locations.

The statement issued a stark warning, indicating that the incidents underscore these regions as significant zones of mass casualties, rather than locations for humanitarian aid.

The statement asserts a systematic and malicious exploitation of aid as a weapon of war, intended to coerce starving civilians into vulnerable positions targeted for violence. This tactic, the statement claims, is orchestrated and observed by occupying military forces and financially backed and politically supported by both the occupying power and the US administration, which it holds fully accountable on moral and legal grounds for these alleged crimes.

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) has issued a strong condemnation of the recent events in Rafah, describing them as “a new massacre of the starving population.” The group characterized the situation as “a genocide with international complicity and American involvement.”

In a statement issued on Sunday, Hamas denounced the “horrific massacre” and attributed responsibility for the incident to the Israeli regime and the United States administration.

The recent incident highlights the allegations concerning the oppressive tactics of the occupation, accused of deploying locations as traps to ensnare and harm vulnerable civilians. This has been associated with allegations of extreme violence and mistreatment. Meanwhile, Israeli legislators have claimed that a covert network, linked to US-based humanitarian and mercenary groups like the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), operates under the guidance of prominent Israeli intelligence figures.

The Geneva-based GHF, supported by both Israel and the United States, has been established as an alternative mechanism for aid distribution to Gaza, diverging from traditional UN-affiliated channels.

The GHF has reported that following the Israeli regime’s authorization of restricted humanitarian aid entry into Gaza, it has successfully delivered and distributed a significant number of truckloads carrying food supplies to the local population.

A Geneva-based organization has announced plans to distribute 300 million meals within the first 90 days of a new initiative. This effort results from a collaborative method of delivery and distribution devised by the regime in conjunction with the United States.

Jens Laerke, a spokesperson for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), criticized the Global Humanitarian Forum (GHF), highlighting that it diverts attention from the crucial needs on the ground. Laerke emphasized the necessity for reopening all crossings into Gaza, establishing a secure environment within the region, and expediting the permissions and final approvals for emergency supplies currently stationed outside the border awaiting entry.

Since October 7, 2023, hostilities initiated by Israel in Gaza have reportedly resulted in the deaths of over 54,000 Palestinians and injuries to more than 124,000, with the majority of casualties being children and women.

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has significantly worsened since March 2, following Israel’s decision to enforce an aid blockade on the already besieged region.

Since the commencement of the aid blockade, Gaza’s Ministry of Health reports that 57 children have succumbed to malnutrition.

According to the World Health Organization, this figure is probably lower than the actual count and is anticipated to rise.

The World Health Organization recently issued a warning, indicating that if current conditions persist, approximately 71,000 children under the age of five could face acute malnutrition in the forthcoming eleven months. This alarming projection is based on findings from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report.