UN slams US-Israel-backed Gaza aid plan after fatal stampede

The UN has slammed the US-Israel-backed Gaza aid plan which exposed seeking aid, to a fatal stampede, and consequently, loss of lives.

At least three Palestinians were killed and 46 others wounded on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, in the southern Gaza city of Rafah after Israeli forces opened fire near a crowd gathered at an aid distribution point.

The site was operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a controversial organization supported by both Israel and the United States.

Seven individuals remain unaccounted for following the incident.

While the GHF denied that any shooting occurred, the Israeli military stated it had fired warning shots outside the area of distribution to regain control.

The incident has drawn sharp condemnation from humanitarian agencies and international bodies.

Although Israel and the US continue to defend the GHF’s operations.

United Nations Response

UN Secretary-General António Guterres’s spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, described the footage from the aid site as “heartbreaking.”

He criticized the aid model being used by GHF, stating that it lacked the necessary principles of impartiality.

According to him, it also lacked independence typically applied in global humanitarian responses, from Gaza to Sudan and Myanmar.

Dujarric emphasized that the UN and its partners have an existing operational plan, supported by various member states, to provide aid safely and effectively, and he suggested the GHF plan deviates from those standards.

Palestinian Authority Reaction

The Gaza Government Media Office strongly condemned the Israeli military, accusing them of deliberately targeting civilians.

In a statement, the office alleged that Israeli forces lured starving people to the site under the pretext of providing aid and then fired on them.

The statement referred to the event as a “deliberate massacre” and a “war crime.”

It stressed that it was committed against a population already suffering from over 90 days of siege-induced hunger.

The office also claimed that the incident exposed Israel’s failure to manage the humanitarian crisis it allegedly helped create.

Israel’s Position

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged the disorder at the aid distribution point but insisted the situation was brought back under control swiftly.

He explained that the aid plan had been developed in coordination with the United States and was meant to deliver food to Palestinian families via an American-run operation.

Netanyahu dismissed the notion of a widespread hunger crisis in Gaza, claiming there were no visible signs of malnutrition among the population.

United States Reaction

The U.S. State Department supported the GHF operation and sought to minimize the incident, referring to criticism as “complaints about style.”

Spokesperson Tammy Bruce blamed Hamas for attempting to block aid and praised the success of the aid delivery despite the obstacles.

Bruce noted that around 8,000 boxes of aid had reached Gaza, framing it as a major success in a complicated environment.

She reiterated that those delivering the aid were not affiliated with Hamas and emphasized the significance of getting food into Gaza at scale.

Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s Statement

GHF maintained that the situation at the distribution site briefly became overwhelming due to the volume of people.

To maintain safety, the team temporarily stepped back and allowed smaller groups to access aid.

The organization claims it has since resumed normal operations and has distributed approximately 8,000 food boxes.

According to it, this is enough to provide 462,000 meals, or to feed 5.5 people for about 3.5 days.

Criticism from Aid Organizations

Refugees International expressed strong concerns about the structure of the GHF initiative.

Hardin Lang, the group’s Vice President for Policy and Programmes, said the aid operation follows military logic rather than humanitarian needs.

He emphasized that an effective famine response requires a complex logistics network.

According to him, this includes access to health care and treatment centers for malnutrition, elements missing from the GHF model.

Lang further criticized the approach as one seemingly aimed at concentrating people in southern Gaza, labeled by Israel as a “humanitarian zone,” rather than genuinely addressing urgent needs.

Similarly, the Norwegian Refugee Council urged the cancellation of the aid initiative led by Israel and the US.

NRC spokesperson Ahmed Bayram criticized the entire effort, calling it emblematic of the suffering faced by Gaza’s population.

He argued that the method of aid distribution was fundamentally flawed, especially considering it was orchestrated by an occupying force.

Bayram highlighted the irony of asking displaced people to return to a devastated Rafah to receive limited aid, emphasizing that true humanitarian work should be left to established relief organizations.

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