An event involving a mass rush to acquire distributed food in Gaza under a Trump-endorsed scheme has led to terror and gunfire, with the locations safeguarded by firearm-equipped contractors. Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, made a declaration on May 28 about their intention to oversee food dissemination in the Gaza Strip. Pandemonium broke out once the Trump-supported plan to dispense food in Gaza, executed through venues manned by armed contractors, had begun. In response to an ongoing Israeli embargo nearing three months and an imminent famine, hordes of Palestinians rushed a guarded checkpoint in Gaza’s southern region on May 27, which led to Israeli soldiers resorting to shooting, as corroborated by Israel’s military and the United Nations. The United Nations reported that the chaotic situation resulted in at least 47 injuries, with the majority caused by gunfire.
The United Nations’ Palestinian affairs agency’s head of office, Jonathan Whittall, has criticized the new aid system, describing it as a form of ‘collective punishment for Palestinians’, and an affront to their human dignity, rather than a genuine humanitarian effort. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the institution responsible for food aid distribution, admitted that their security measures were deliberately lax in order to prevent crowd reactions sparked by finally receiving food. With the backing of the Trump administration and Israel, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation sold its ‘secure distribution sites’, staffed with paramilitary contractors, as a solution for Gaza’s humanitarian crisis and Israel’s distrust of the U.N.
According to information released on May 28, the Foundation had distributed 14,550 food boxes across two functional sites, where each box contained sufficient food to sustain 5.5 people for 3.5 days. However, existing aid organizations that the Foundation aims to supersede have argued that its model of militarized aid distribution, alongside its connections to Israel, breaches essential humanitarian principles. The Foundation has acknowledged that there are many entities who are eager to see its downfall.
The Foundation’s operations have gotten off to a troubled start. Jake Wood, a former U.S. Marine who had founded the humanitarian response group Team Rubicon, resigned from his position as the head of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation the day before it began disbursing the food aid. In a public statement, Wood expressed his concern over the Foundation’s inability to maintain impartiality.
He explained that it was not feasible to execute the plan while also rigidly adhering to the core humanitarian values of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence. Additionally, an insider from the Foundation told the press that Wood was concerned that the aid program could not function separately from the Israeli military’s operations. Several other humanitarian organizations in Gaza have expressed similar criticisms.
Sean Carroll, President and CEO of the U.S. aid group Anera, highlighted that the plan failed to provide evidence that it could act impartially or supply adequate aid to Gazans in need, which is crucial in order to prevent looting and misuse for profit. The New York Times further reported on May 24 that the beginnings of the Foundation could be traced back to a group of Israeli and American military and business leaders. Their objective was to take control of Gaza from Hamas and usurp the United Nation’s role as the primary distributor of aid in Gaza.
Despite these criticisms, members of the Foundation and several U.S. officials have maintained the stance that the Foundation operates independently of Israel. A spokesperson clarified in Jerusalem on May 9 that while Israel would indeed be involved in providing necessary military security given the war-torn context, it would not interfere with the food distribution process or even the transportation of food into Gaza. This sentiment has been echoed by Israel, particularly Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who vocalized Israel’s intention to take control of Gaza’s food distribution on May 28.
Following Jake Wood’s departure, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation expressed disappointment, highlighting that instead of focusing on aid delivery, too many were concentrating on dismantling the initiative. In a statement released on the day following Wood’s resignation, the Foundation expressed disappointment, stating that mutual concerns have been continuously focused on dissipation rather than on delivering support.
Israel eased its restrictions on humanitarian aid inflows into Gaza earlier last week, letting the first batch of trucks in over two months trickle into the distressed strip as of May 19. Approximately 100 trucks have managed to enter daily since then. However, humanitarian workers argue that this quantity is merely a small fraction of what is required to avoid severe famine. As per Cindy McCain, director of the World Food Program, the current aid is a ‘drop in the bucket’.
Israel halted humanitarian aid in early March following the breakdown of a ceasefire with Hamas. By mid-May, it was estimated that severe hunger threatened around 470,000 people in Gaza, while all residents experienced acute food insecurity. During this time of escalating needs, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation made its appearance.
General doubts about the scheme stem from allegations that it is, at best, ineffectual, and at worst, a tool to militarize aid distribution to serve Israel’s wartime objectives. Concerns have also been raised about the Foundation’s intention to utilize biometric technology to identify and track Palestinians. One aid worker expressed skepticism about the feasibility of serving 2 million people instantaneously, given the Foundation’s limited distribution sites and lack of experience.
Joseph Belliveau, the executive director of an Illinois-based organization, described the plan as a move towards ‘militarizing and controlling aid to a much higher degree’. He further stressed the apprehensions people might harbour in visiting a distribution spot that is ‘under the gun’. Just earlier in May, Israel had initiated a new military operation in Gaza, codenamed ‘Gideon’s chariots’, which claimed over 500 lives within eight days. The profiles of these victims, whether they were civilians or combatants, remain unknown.
On the same day that the Foundation activated its aid operation, May 26, an estimated 45 people were killed throughout the Gaza strip. Since an October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel by Hamas, the death toll of Palestinians in Gaza has exceeded 53,000. As for Israel’s goals, they have been clearly outlined by Prime Minister Netanyahu on May 19, stating that they would achieve ‘complete victory’ and control the entire enclave.
The Palestinian residents located in Northern Gaza have been given evacuation orders in recent days. The Foundation aims to first set up four ‘secure distribution sites’, each designed to serve approximately 300,000 people with ‘pre-packaged rations’ consisting of 1750-calorie meals, hygiene kits, and medical supplies. Armoured vehicles would facilitate the transport of these supplies to these hubs, which would then be guarded by armed security contractors.
While several armed security contractors will man the distribution sites, monitoring would be conducted in real-time to prevent any divergence and enhance control. The situation has reached unthinkable levels for many aid workers in Gaza. Despite a few aid trucks managing to sneak in, the food distribution remains low overall. As of May 24, due to fuel scarcity, only four bakeries could function in Gaza. Medical staff have reported cases of malnutrition, severe acute malnutrition, and numerous instances of severe diarrhea amongst children. In fact, some have remarked that the children were too weak even to cry from hunger. A few workers emphasized the need to lift the blockade so that they could fulfil their duties.