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Report: Violence Erupts During Gaza Aid Distribution by US-Backed Foundation

MUWASI, Gaza Strip - A new U.S.-supported aid organization in Gaza faced disorder on its second day of operations as thousands of desperate Palestinians flooded a distribution center in Rafah on Tuesday. Israel's military fired warning shots, causing panicked residents to flee.

An Associated Press journalist reported hearing tank and gunfire and observing a military helicopter firing flares in the area. The Israeli military confirmed that soldiers had discharged warning shots near the center, asserting that the situation had been brought under control.

At least three injured Palestinians were observed by the AP being transported from the scene, one of whom was bleeding profusely from his leg.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the organization responsible for the aid distribution, had initiated operations in Gaza the previous day. The UN and other humanitarian organizations have expressed reservations about the new system, arguing that it will fail to meet the needs of Gaza's 2.3 million inhabitants and allows Israel to utilize food as a tool for population control. The UN has also raised concerns about the potential for increased friction between Israeli troops and aid-seekers.

The current crisis follows nearly three months of Israeli blockade, which has pushed Gaza to the brink of famine.

At the distribution hub, Palestinians told AP that several individuals received food boxes in the morning, but as word spread, hundreds of thousands of people, including families from sprawling tent camps along Gaza's Mediterranean coast, began converging on the site. To reach the center, they needed to traverse nearby Israeli military positions.

By afternoon, the throngs had swelled to oust the staff and create havoc. Videos revealed long lines of people threading through chain-link fence passages. Two individuals claimed each person was searched and subjected to facial scanning before receiving the boxes. The chaos led to fences being torn down, and staff was forced to flee.

Israeli troops maintained that there was no gunfire from GHF personnel. A GHF spokesperson, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the protocols aimed at "avoiding loss of life" and had been followed.

GHF utilizes armed private contractors to secure the distribution centers and the transportation of supplies. The center is situated near Israeli military positions in the Morag Corridor, separating Rafah from the rest of Gaza. GHF has established four aid distribution centers around Gaza to distribute food.

Amnesty International and other global aid organizations have criticized GHF's operations, labeling them as breaches of humanitarian principles. Critics warn that the aid may be politicized, serving as a means of exerting control rather than offering genuine humanitarian relief.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commented on the chaos at the Rafah center, stating that there had been a brief loss of control, which he noted had been rectified. Netanyahu reiterated Israel's plan to relocate Gaza's entire population to a "sterile zone" at the southern end of the territory while troops battled Hamas elsewhere. Hamas is recognized as a terrorist organization by the US, Canada, and the European Union.

Israel has contended that Hamas has been diverting supplies entering Gaza, a claim the UN has denied. Throughout the conflict, the UN and other aid groups have carried out a vast distribution operation, delivering food, medicine, and other supplies to those in need. Israel maintains that GHF will supplant this network, although a trickle of aid has only recently been allowed for the UN to distribute.

COGAT, the Israeli military agency responsible for coordinating aid, said 400 trucks laden with supplies, primarily food, were waiting on the Gaza side of the main crossing from Israel as of Tuesday. However, the UN has not retrieved these supplies due to security concerns and alleged insufficient quantities. Jens Laerke, a spokesperson for the UN humanitarian office OCHA, expressed difficulties in collecting supplies because of the routes assigned by Israeli authorities.

The chaotic scenes at the Gaza aid distribution center, overseen by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), have raised concerns about whether the distribution of food and other supplies can be separated from the politics and potential manipulation in war-and-conflicts zones.
As the ongoing crisis in Gaza continues to push the region towards starvation, the role of politics and intervention, such as that of the United States in supporting aid organizations like GHF, becomes increasingly critical in the realm of general news and international relations.
In the light of the volatile situation in Gaza, law and order not only regarding personal safety but also transportation, food distribution, and the protection of humanitarian workers remain pivotal issues, alongside the broader political disputes between Israel and Palestinian organizations like Hamas.