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21 Palestinians Killed in Stampede at Gaza Aid Site as GHF Faces Intense Scrutiny
21 Palestinians killed in a stampede at the GHF aid site in Khan Younis. Tear gas, closed gates, and disputed claims fuel chaos. UN calls GHF sites “death traps.”
ND
by News Desk
2025-07-16
21 Palestinians Killed in Stampede at Gaza Aid Site as GHF Faces Intense Scrutiny

At least 21 Palestinians were killed in a deadly stampede on Wednesday at a Global Humanitarian Federation (GHF) aid distribution centre in southern Gaza, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. The incident occurred amid ongoing chaos, hunger, and deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the besieged territory.

The Health Ministry reported that 15 people died from suffocation and injuries during the stampede, allegedly after tear gas was fired into the crowd of desperate aid seekers. The remaining victims were either stabbed or shot, with medical staff at Nasser Hospital alleging that Israeli occupation forces and GHF security opened fire on civilians trying to access food.

“️For the first time, deaths have been recorded due to suffocation and the intense stampede of citizens at aid distribution centres,” the ministry said.

🔹 Conflicting Narratives

The GHF, a US- and Israeli-backed humanitarian organization that began operations in Gaza in late May, had earlier released a statement blaming "armed agitators affiliated with Hamas" for the chaos. It claimed that 19 people were trampled, one stabbed, and its US staff threatened by gunmen.

But Palestinian officials, local witnesses, and humanitarian observers strongly rejected GHF’s version, stating that mismanagement, militarized security, and use of force caused the tragedy—not local militants.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, journalist Hani Mahmoud reported that a witness saw tear gas fired into the crowd, triggering widespread panic. A medical source told AFP that the main gate to the centre was shut, and people were starving and desperate, adding that Israeli forces and private security opened fire.

🔹 Deaths Near Aid Centres Mount

The UN says at least 875 people have been killed trying to access food since GHF began operations, with 674 deaths occurring near GHF sites. Last week, UN human rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani noted that most of the victims had gunshot injuries.

The UN has called GHF aid sites “death traps”, accusing them of violating humanitarian neutrality standards and operating in inherently unsafe conditions.

🔹 Mounting Criticism of GHF

Amjad Shawa, director of the Palestinian NGOs Network, condemned GHF for gross mismanagement and lacking basic security and crowd control.

“People who flock in their thousands are hungry and exhausted… and they get squeezed into narrow places, amid shortages of aid and the absence of organisation and discipline by the GHF,” Shawa said.

🔹 Worsening Humanitarian Toll

The stampede wasn’t the only deadly incident on Wednesday. An Israeli strike on displaced persons in al-Mawasi reportedly killed nine more people, bringing the total death toll to at least 43 Palestinians since dawn.

The latest tragedy underscores the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where international aid remains constrained, hunger is rising, and civilian deaths continue to mount.

 
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