UN Says Over 1,000 Aid-Seekers Killed In Gaza Since May

The people of Gaza are facing severe hunger, and often their only way to get food is to put their lives in danger at aid points. These sites are managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an organisation known for its backing from Israel and the United States. The UN human rights office, OHCHR, said that by July 21, 1,054 people had died in Gaza while seeking food. This includes 766 deaths near GHF locations and 288 near aid convoys belonging to the UN and other humanitarian agencies.

Al Jazeera’s Sanad agency recently studied satellite images from July 13, showing the GHF aid centre in Rafah. These images reveal the dangerous paths people must take. They wait for hours, sometimes days, walking past Israeli tanks and drones, risking being shot by Israeli soldiers, all just to reach food.

People trying to get aid are allowed only to drive or use carts up to a certain spot. After that, they have to walk the rest of the way to the distribution point, a journey of at least 1.5 kilometres. Then comes the hard part: carrying whatever food they manage to get, they have to walk all that distance back. Many arrive at the distribution centre hours, or even days, in advance, all in an effort to secure their share of supplies.

People take cover in sandy pits between dunes to avoid being exposed and shot by Israeli soldiers. The extreme heat and long waits make the situation much worse for families, who are just waiting for a “go signal” to get some food.

Usually, when drones overhead give the “go signal,” people know it’s safe to move closer to the aid distribution site, which is surrounded by many military vehicles. Witness accounts gathered by Al Jazeera state that people were fired upon even while they waited for permission to move towards the centre. Getting to the aid centre's doors doesn't mean the struggle is over. In fact, a journalist from Rafah, speaking to Al Jazeera, described these places as completely chaotic due to absent crowd management. People rush into the aid distribution centres, but most leave without any food. There are just too many people and not enough supplies.

Recently, over 170 NGOs reportedly urged the dismantling of the GHF in Gaza, citing concerns that it exposes civilians to injury and death. According to figures released by Gaza’s health ministry, 33 people have died due to starvation and malnutrition since Sunday.