GHF has been weaponising food since day one: Aid worker
Afeef Nessouli, a volunteer with medical aid organisation Glia International, says the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation “has not been able to have a successful distribution of aid” since Israel recently allowed limited aid into the enclave.
Nessouli, talking to Al Jazeera from the town of al-Qarara near Rafah in southern Gaza, said the US-backed aid group has been weaponising food since it started the job. “It has been an incredibly loud morning [in al-Qarara]. It seems these distribution sites are disorganised and have malintent [malevolent intent], to be honest,” he said.
“The GHF has not been successful to this day and has even seemed to target Palestinians when they are extremely hungry as they try to get aid,” the volunteer stressed.
Palestinian rescuers evacuate injured people in an ambulance at the Bureij refugee camp after an Israeli drone reportedly opened fire on civilian gatherings near an aid distribution point not far from the so-called Netzarim Corridor, in the central Gaza Strip, on June 1
‘No room for mistakes’ as people are starving in Gaza: Aid worker
Afeef Nessouli, a volunteer with medical aid organisation Glia International, says local NGOs refuse to work with the mechanism put in place by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the US-backed aid distribution organisation.
“It is because, in general, the mechanism that was in place with the UN and our partners in the past was tried and true,” he said. Nessouli said hundreds of distribution sites were set up through the previous mechanism backed by the UN, adding that the new system is “absolutely disorganised” in comparison.
Earlier, the distribution sites “could get food and supplies to people at home”, Nessouli said, reminding that there are many disabled people in Gaza due to the ongoing genocide.
He said the new process is implemented by people who have no experience in aid work, and the last few attempts at distribution are proof of it. “When you ghettoise the population into being absolutely starving for three months, there is going to be a lot of assertive and aggressive competition for food,” Nessouli said, adding that there has been no credible proof of the claims that Hamas is stealing aid.
Nessouli concluded that the aid distribution in Gaza went backwards at a time when there is “no room for mistakes” as people are starving in the Strip.
Witnesses recount deadly Israeli attack on aid seekers in Rafah
Sameh Hamuda, a displaced resident from northern Gaza’s Beit Lahiya city, says he has walked from Gaza City and spent the night with relatives in a tent near Rafah before heading to the aid centre at dawn to wait among a crowd of people.
“They began distributing aid, but suddenly quadcopter drones opened fire on the people, and tanks started shooting heavily. Several people were killed right in front of me,” the 33-year-old told AFP. “I ran and survived. Death follows you as long as you’re in Gaza.”
Abdullah Barbakh, 58, described “chaos, screaming, and overcrowding” at the scene.
“The army opened fire from drones and tanks. Chaos broke out, and the area was filled with martyrs and wounded. I don’t understand why they call people to the aid centres and then open fire on them,” he said. “What are we supposed to do?”
Victims’ bodies at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis after Israeli soldiers killed Palestinians trying to reach an aid distribution point west of Rafah, June 1
At least 32 killed today in Israeli attacks on Gaza aid points: Media Office
Gaza’s Government Media Office says at least 31 people have been killed by Israeli gunfire and 200 wounded near an aid distribution centre in the southern city of Rafah.
One person was also killed and 32 injured at another aid distribution centre near the Netzarim Corridor in central Gaza, the statement on Telegram said.
In total, 49 Palestinians have been killed and more than 300 injured around the GHF-run distribution centres in Rafah and the Netzarim Corridor since the first such deadly incident on May 27.
