The distribution centers of the much-criticized new aid system for Gaza were mired in new chaos on Monday, amid accusations and denials that Hamas had threatened over the weekend to attack workers for the Israeli-backed group handing out food supplies.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which was set up to bypass the traditional aid distribution system run by the United Nations, said on Saturday that some of its workers had been threatened by Hamas, the militant group that led the attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and controls the Gaza Strip.
On Monday, Hamas denied the accusations and accused the aid group of lacking neutrality.
Shootings near aid distribution centers have killed dozens of people and wounded hundreds since the foundation began operations at the end of May. The Israeli military has acknowledged firing near people who had deviated from “designated access routes” and who did not respond to verbal warnings. Gaza health officials say dozens of Palestinians have been killed trying to get aid.
Shots were again fired about half a mile from one of the distribution sites early Sunday. Gaza’s health ministry said five people were killed and 123 were wounded in the incident. An Israeli military spokesman said the army had fired warning shots at people who were “advancing in a way that endangered the troops.” It added that some people had been injured, but did not specify how many.
Many Gazans interviewed by The New York Times have said they head to the sites early, despite repeated warnings from the Israeli military that it regards the areas as active conflict zones when the centers are not open. Many are desperate for food — Gaza faces a severe hunger crisis — and seeking to get ahead of large crowds.
Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza has razed huge urban areas and forced almost all the enclave’s two million residents to flee their homes at least once. Israel cut off deliveries of food, fuel and other essential goods to Gaza in March as a way to pressure Hamas, a blockade that ended in mid-May after almost 80 days. Aid groups and some Israeli military officers have warned that the restrictions have pushed Gazans to the brink of starvation.
