An Israeli-backed American aid group operating in Gaza said 20 Palestinians were killed on Wednesday near one of its distribution sites in Khan Younis, with most deaths resulting from a stampede.
The Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF), a Delaware-registered nonprofit, reported that 19 people were trampled to death and one person was fatally stabbed during the chaos. The group accused Hamas of inciting panic and spreading false information that triggered the violence, though it offered no evidence to support the claim.
The incident occurred as Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza, now in its 21st month, continues to fuel humanitarian catastrophe. Local hospital officials said Israeli strikes on Wednesday killed 22 people, including 11 children.
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Gaza’s population of over 2 million faces severe food insecurity and near-famine conditions, according to international experts. Aid distribution has become increasingly perilous, with Palestinians reporting that Israeli forces frequently fire toward civilians en route to aid sites.
Though GHF rarely comments on violence at its hubs, its operations have come under scrutiny as hundreds of Palestinians have been killed or injured near distribution points, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry and eyewitness accounts.
Source: Agency