Food and Firepower: Gaza Aid Effort Turns Deadly

Two US aid workers wounded in attack

A contentious humanitarian mission in Gaza, jointly backed by Israel and the United States, came under attack on Saturday, July 5, 2025, when two militants allegedly hurled grenades at a relief distribution center in Khan Younis, according to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).

The organization accused Hamas of orchestrating the assault.

Two American aid workers were injured in the incident but are reported to be in stable condition and receiving medical care.

No other civilians or staff members were harmed, the GHF confirmed.

The group emphasized that the attack took place at the end of what had otherwise been a successful distribution effort, during which thousands of residents reportedly received food supplies without incident.

The GHF, which began its operations in May, has drawn widespread criticism from humanitarian groups and local communities.

Critics argue the system places civilians in grave danger, as it requires them to cross active combat zones to reach aid sites located in southern and central Gaza.

While Israeli officials defend the model as a measure to prevent aid from falling into the hands of Hamas, human rights organizations report a grim toll.

They say over 400 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces while attempting to collect food aid, according to the United Nations and local medical sources.

In its statement following Saturday’s attack, the GHF claimed it had issued multiple warnings about credible threats from Hamas.

These include intelligence suggesting targeted violence against both American personnel and Palestinian aid workers.

Hamas has yet to issue any official comment on the incident.

The attack came amid a broader backdrop of violence and shifting political developments.

Gaza’s civil defense agency reported that 32 Palestinians were killed by Israeli military operations on the same day.

Meanwhile, Hamas reiterated its openness to renewed negotiations over a ceasefire with Israel, raising the possibility of progress in the long-stalled diplomatic effort.

The ceasefire proposal, originally brokered by the United States, reportedly involves a phased exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.

While details remain under negotiation, Hamas is understood to be seeking key amendments to the draft agreement.

Chief among their demands is a formal U.S. guarantee that hostilities will not resume after the ceasefire ends.

Additionally, Hamas is calling for the dismantling of the GHF.

It argues that aid distribution should be handled exclusively by the United Nations and its partners, a stipulation Israel has previously rejected.

As of now, an estimated 50 Israeli hostages remain in Gaza. At least 20 are believed to be alive, though their conditions are unclear.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate.

The territory’s health ministry reported that at least 70 people were killed by Israeli forces over the past 24 hours alone.

The overall death toll in Gaza has now surpassed 57,000 since Israel launched its military campaign in response to the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas.

That assault claimed the lives of approximately 1,200 people in Israel and led to the abduction of 251 hostages, sparking the ongoing war.

Saturday’s grenade attack has added a volatile new layer to an already fraught aid effort.

It also underscores the immense challenges of delivering humanitarian relief in a highly militarized and politically complex environment.

With ceasefire negotiations hanging in the balance and civilian casualties continuing to rise, international observers warn that time is running out to prevent further escalation.

As diplomatic channels remain active and both sides express conditional willingness to move forward, the fate of Gaza’s civilians, and the prospects for a lasting truce, remain uncertain.

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