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| Four people killed after starving Palestinians burst into UN food warehouse in Gaza | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Deaths from crushing and gunshot wounds come a day after Israeli forces opened fire at a food distribution point | |
| Four people have died as hundreds of Palestinians burst into a United Nations warehouse in Gaza, tearing away sections of the building’s metal walls in an desperate attempt to find food. | |
| Two people were fatally crushed and two others died of gunshot wounds after the crowd forced its way into the World Food Programme warehouse in central Gaza on Wednesday afternoon, health officials said. | |
| It was not immediately clear if Israeli forces, private contractors or others had opened fire. A Red Cross field hospital said injuries from the scene included women and children with gunshot wounds. | |
| Scores of people could be seeing struggling through the crowd carrying large bags of flour as others pushed to get inside the warehouse, the Associated Press reported. | Scores of people could be seeing struggling through the crowd carrying large bags of flour as others pushed to get inside the warehouse, the Associated Press reported. |
| A UN envoy compared the limited aid being allowed into Gaza to “a lifeboat after the ship has sunk”. Sigrid Kaag, the acting UN special coordinator for the Middle East, told the UN security council that people facing famine in Gaza “have lost hope”. | A UN envoy compared the limited aid being allowed into Gaza to “a lifeboat after the ship has sunk”. Sigrid Kaag, the acting UN special coordinator for the Middle East, told the UN security council that people facing famine in Gaza “have lost hope”. |
| The chaotic scenes came as Gaza health officials said at least one civilian was killed and 48 injured on a previous incident on Tuesday at a food distribution point in the south of the territory. Israeli troops opened fire at the newly established site as a large crowd gathered there. | |
| Witnesses to Tuesday’s incident said Israeli forces started shooting after crowds of Palestinians broke through the fences around the centre managed by a US-backed group, chosen by Israel to ship food into Gaza, which lost control of its distribution site. An Israeli military helicopter was seen firing flares and bursts of gunfire were heard in the distance. In one video, a large crowd of panicked civilians, including women and children, can be seen running away, trampling the fencing. | Witnesses to Tuesday’s incident said Israeli forces started shooting after crowds of Palestinians broke through the fences around the centre managed by a US-backed group, chosen by Israel to ship food into Gaza, which lost control of its distribution site. An Israeli military helicopter was seen firing flares and bursts of gunfire were heard in the distance. In one video, a large crowd of panicked civilians, including women and children, can be seen running away, trampling the fencing. |
| Video footage showed hundreds of Palestinians queuing alongside barbed-wire fences shortly before the incident. As the food distribution began, thousands of starving Palestinians rushed into the site, causing at least two of the fences at the entrance queue to collapse quickly. Later footage shows all the entrance row fences collapsed in the panic that followed. | Video footage showed hundreds of Palestinians queuing alongside barbed-wire fences shortly before the incident. As the food distribution began, thousands of starving Palestinians rushed into the site, causing at least two of the fences at the entrance queue to collapse quickly. Later footage shows all the entrance row fences collapsed in the panic that followed. |
| Ajith Sunghay, the head of the UN human rights office for the Palestinian territories, said most of the injured people were hurt by gunfire. Gaza’s health ministry said at least one person was killed. | Ajith Sunghay, the head of the UN human rights office for the Palestinian territories, said most of the injured people were hurt by gunfire. Gaza’s health ministry said at least one person was killed. |
| The Israeli military said it fired “warning shots” near the compound to restore control, but denied firing towards people. | The Israeli military said it fired “warning shots” near the compound to restore control, but denied firing towards people. |
| In a statement released on Wednesday, Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which has been authorised by Israel to take over food distribution operations to bypass the UN aid mechanisms into the Palestinian territory, said: “No shots were fired at Palestinian crowds and there were no casualties.” | In a statement released on Wednesday, Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which has been authorised by Israel to take over food distribution operations to bypass the UN aid mechanisms into the Palestinian territory, said: “No shots were fired at Palestinian crowds and there were no casualties.” |
| The accounts of the events of Tuesday came as the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said an airstrike earlier this month had killed Mohammed Sinwar, the Hamas chief in Gaza who took the position after the death of his elder brother Yahya last year. Both were planners of the 7 October 2023 attack on southern Israel. Tuesday also marked the 600th day in captivity for remaining Israeli hostages seized on that day. | The accounts of the events of Tuesday came as the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said an airstrike earlier this month had killed Mohammed Sinwar, the Hamas chief in Gaza who took the position after the death of his elder brother Yahya last year. Both were planners of the 7 October 2023 attack on southern Israel. Tuesday also marked the 600th day in captivity for remaining Israeli hostages seized on that day. |
| The 11-week siege and a continuing tight Israel blockade mean most people in Gaza are desperately hungry. Medics and aid workers in the devastated Palestinian territory have said for months that malnutrition is spreading, with bakeries operated by the UN World Food Programme shutting owing to a lack of cooking gas, and prices soaring for the limited amount of food available in shops and markets. | The 11-week siege and a continuing tight Israel blockade mean most people in Gaza are desperately hungry. Medics and aid workers in the devastated Palestinian territory have said for months that malnutrition is spreading, with bakeries operated by the UN World Food Programme shutting owing to a lack of cooking gas, and prices soaring for the limited amount of food available in shops and markets. |
| Satellite imagery of the Gaza food distribution centre, reviewed by the Guardian, suggests that the incident took place inside an area marked by the IDF for evacuation as recently as Sunday. | Satellite imagery of the Gaza food distribution centre, reviewed by the Guardian, suggests that the incident took place inside an area marked by the IDF for evacuation as recently as Sunday. |
| Images and videos shared by the IDF in preparation for food distribution showed a large clearing constructed with fortifications around it, amid the bombed-out ruins of southern Gaza. Two routes with fencing were erected for entrance and exit, with the ones for entrance having five narrow fenced rows that crowds squeezed themselves into. | Images and videos shared by the IDF in preparation for food distribution showed a large clearing constructed with fortifications around it, amid the bombed-out ruins of southern Gaza. Two routes with fencing were erected for entrance and exit, with the ones for entrance having five narrow fenced rows that crowds squeezed themselves into. |
| Recent imagery shows tables lined up end to end inside the clearing, where several armoured IDF vehicles and at least 8 aid trucks were visible. Interior photos of the aid trucks showed stacks of brown boxes shabbily packed, with stickers bearing “GHF”. | Recent imagery shows tables lined up end to end inside the clearing, where several armoured IDF vehicles and at least 8 aid trucks were visible. Interior photos of the aid trucks showed stacks of brown boxes shabbily packed, with stickers bearing “GHF”. |
| Children and women were caught up in the crowd, and a large dust cloud from the scrambling was visible. Some Palestinians managed to get their hands on boxes of food and run away, while others grabbed what food items they could and left. | Children and women were caught up in the crowd, and a large dust cloud from the scrambling was visible. Some Palestinians managed to get their hands on boxes of food and run away, while others grabbed what food items they could and left. |
| Two of the boxes opened appeared to contain oil, pasta, beans, noodles, biscuits, flour, tinned food, sugar and tahini. Some videos appeared to show people lugging away bits of wood on foot and on the back of donkey carts. | Two of the boxes opened appeared to contain oil, pasta, beans, noodles, biscuits, flour, tinned food, sugar and tahini. Some videos appeared to show people lugging away bits of wood on foot and on the back of donkey carts. |
| Israel imposed a blockade on all supplies in March, saying Hamas was seizing deliveries for its fighters, a charge the group denies. Earlier this month, a global hunger monitor said that half a million people in the Gaza Strip faced starvation. | Israel imposed a blockade on all supplies in March, saying Hamas was seizing deliveries for its fighters, a charge the group denies. Earlier this month, a global hunger monitor said that half a million people in the Gaza Strip faced starvation. |
| The IPC estimated that nearly 71,000 children under the age of five were expected to be “acutely malnourished”, with 14,100 cases expected to be severe in the next 11 months. | The IPC estimated that nearly 71,000 children under the age of five were expected to be “acutely malnourished”, with 14,100 cases expected to be severe in the next 11 months. |
| The UN and other humanitarian organisations have rejected the new system for food distribution, saying it would not be able to meet the needs of Gaza’s 2.3 million people and allowed Israel to use food as a weapon to control the population. They have also said there was a risk of friction between Israeli troops and hungry people seeking supplies. | The UN and other humanitarian organisations have rejected the new system for food distribution, saying it would not be able to meet the needs of Gaza’s 2.3 million people and allowed Israel to use food as a weapon to control the population. They have also said there was a risk of friction between Israeli troops and hungry people seeking supplies. |
| The organisations added that the newly formed group had no experience and so would not be able to handle the logistics of feeding more than 2 million people in a devastated combat zone, a prediction that the dangerous scenes on Tuesday appeared to confirm. | The organisations added that the newly formed group had no experience and so would not be able to handle the logistics of feeding more than 2 million people in a devastated combat zone, a prediction that the dangerous scenes on Tuesday appeared to confirm. |
| The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa), Philippe Lazzarini, said on Wednesday that the new – US-backed – distribution model was a waste of resources and a distraction from “atrocities”. | The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa), Philippe Lazzarini, said on Wednesday that the new – US-backed – distribution model was a waste of resources and a distraction from “atrocities”. |
| “We already have an aid distribution system that is fit for purpose,” Lazzarini said. “The humanitarian community in Gaza, including Unrwa, is ready. We have the experience and expertise to reach people in need. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking towards famine, so humanitarian [work] must be allowed to do its life-saving work now.” | “We already have an aid distribution system that is fit for purpose,” Lazzarini said. “The humanitarian community in Gaza, including Unrwa, is ready. We have the experience and expertise to reach people in need. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking towards famine, so humanitarian [work] must be allowed to do its life-saving work now.” |
| GHF said on Wednesday there were “many parties” who wished to see them fail. The US president, Donald Trump, said his administration was working on accelerating food deliveries to Gaza. | GHF said on Wednesday there were “many parties” who wished to see them fail. The US president, Donald Trump, said his administration was working on accelerating food deliveries to Gaza. |
| Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, had on Tuesday described “some loss of control momentarily” at the distribution point and repeated that Israel planned to move Gaza’s entire population to a “sterile zone” at the southern end of the territory while troops fought Hamas elsewhere. | Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, had on Tuesday described “some loss of control momentarily” at the distribution point and repeated that Israel planned to move Gaza’s entire population to a “sterile zone” at the southern end of the territory while troops fought Hamas elsewhere. |
| Jake Wood, the founding director of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, resigned on Sunday saying it would not be possible for the group to deliver aid “while also strictly adhering to the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence”. | Jake Wood, the founding director of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, resigned on Sunday saying it would not be possible for the group to deliver aid “while also strictly adhering to the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence”. |
| A group of NGOs, including ActionAid, this month said: “Aid that is used to mask ongoing violence is not aid, it is in fact humanitarian cover for a military strategy of control and dispossession.” | A group of NGOs, including ActionAid, this month said: “Aid that is used to mask ongoing violence is not aid, it is in fact humanitarian cover for a military strategy of control and dispossession.” |
| GHF said it was continuing its operations on Wednesday, “opening another safe distribution site and distributing aid without incident”. | GHF said it was continuing its operations on Wednesday, “opening another safe distribution site and distributing aid without incident”. |
| “Approximately 14,550 food boxes have been distributed so far. Each box feeds 5.5 people for 3.5 days, totaling 840,262 meals,’’ it added, citing it has successfully opened its second aid distribution center in Gaza, following the launch of its first site on Monday,” it said. | “Approximately 14,550 food boxes have been distributed so far. Each box feeds 5.5 people for 3.5 days, totaling 840,262 meals,’’ it added, citing it has successfully opened its second aid distribution center in Gaza, following the launch of its first site on Monday,” it said. |
| “The situation remains urgent. But every hour, more people are fed.” | “The situation remains urgent. But every hour, more people are fed.” |