(Gaza) The population of Gaza “desperately needed more aid,” said the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an organization supported by Israel and the United States, which has been aid for the end of May in the Palestinian territory for 20 months on Saturday.
“We cannot meet the extent of the needs as long as large areas of Gaza remain closed. We collaborate with the Israeli government so that it honors its commitment and opens up additional sites in northern Gaza, “she said in a statement.
The GHF, whose distributions give rise to chaotic and loose scenes around its centers, says it is “ready to collaborate with other humanitarian organizations to reach those who need it most”.
On Saturday, 17 people were killed by the Israeli army, including eight while they were waiting for aid distribution centers managed by the GHF, the Civil Defense of Gaza told AFP.
Five of them were near the crossroads of Netzarim, in the center of the Gaza Strip, said Mahmoud Bassal, spokesperson for this first aid organization.
Questioned by AFP, the army said that its soldiers had fired “warnings” to prevent “suspects” from approaching them, and says “examine” allegations reporting.
A similar event occurred shortly after dawn in the south of the Gaza Strip, near the Al-Alam roundabout, where at least three people were killed by “the Israeli army fire,” he added.
GHF has opened four parcel distribution centers in the center and south of the Gaza Strip since the start of its operations. The company indicates in its press release that its SDS1 center, near Al-Alam did no distribution on Saturday.
PHOTO MAHMOUD ISSA, REUTERS
Palestinians are waiting to receive food prepared by charity in the city of Gaza on June 21, 2025.
Nine other people were killed during the separate Israeli strikes on Saturday in Choujaïya (North), in Khan Younès (South) and near the city of Gaza, still, according to the Civil Defense.
On this point, the Israeli army assures that it “is working to dismantle the military capacities of Hamas” and “takes the necessary precautions to limit civil losses” during its strikes.
Given the restrictions imposed on the media in the Gaza Strip and the difficulties of access to the field, AFP is not able to independently check the balance sheets announced by the Civil Defense.
“Dehumanizing and dangerous”
Thousands of people approach GHF centers every day in the hope of receiving food, as found for AFP correspondents.
Israel imposed a humanitarian blockade in early March which led to very serious shortages of food, drugs and other basic necessities. The blockade was only partially softened at the end of May.
Since the GHF began its distributions at the end of May, 450 people were killed and nearly 3,500 others injured by trying to reach the aid distribution points in Gaza, according to the latest updated assessment of the Hamas Government Government Government.
The UN and humanitarian NGOs refuse to work with GHF, an organization for opaque funding supported by Washington and Israel, due to concerns about its processes and its neutrality.
“The imposed system of aid routing is not only a failure, but it is dehumanizing and dangerous,” Christopher Lockyear, secretary general of doctors without borders on Monday. “He exposes thousands of Palestinians to unnecessary risks, causing blood effusions that could be avoided.”
The foundation denies any incident inside its centers, saying that its staff continues to “deliver food safely”.
More than 55,700 Palestinians, mainly civilians, were killed in the Israeli offensive in Gaza, according to figures from the Ministry of Health in Gaza, deemed reliable by the UN.
The murderous attack of Hamas in southern Israel having sparked the war on October 7, 2023 resulted in the death of 1219 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP report made on the basis of official figures.
