Gaza City, 12 June 2025: The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a new aid group backed by the United States and Israel, said five Palestinian staff members were killed in a targeted attack by Hamas on Wednesday night. The workers were traveling in a bus to a GHF distribution hub when it was struck in southern Gaza.
According to a GHF statement, the attack followed several days of threats made by Hamas against the organization and its workers. “We condemn this heinous and deliberate attack in the strongest possible terms,” the GHF said, warning that some aid workers may have been taken hostage.
Escalating Violence Around Humanitarian Corridors
Since its launch on 26 May 2025, the GHF has been at the center of a growing storm. Intended to bypass the United Nations and local NGOs—whom the US and Israel accuse of indirectly facilitating aid diversion to Hamas—the foundation has operated four main food distribution centers across Gaza. However, its model has faced both logistical breakdowns and violent confrontations almost daily.
According to two Gaza City hospitals, at least 25 people were killed near a GHF convoy on Wednesday alone, in the Netzarim corridor. Doctors have reported dozens of additional injuries among civilians attempting to access food packages.
The Gaza Health Ministry, controlled by Hamas, claims that more than 200 people have been killed and nearly 2,000 injured near GHF-operated hubs since its inception. These casualties are attributed to both Israeli forces opening fire near distribution zones and clashes involving armed Palestinian factions.
GHF vs. Hamas: Competing Narratives
While Hamas has not officially commented on the latest attack, it previously denied making threats toward the GHF. Over the weekend, Hamas declared the aid operation “an utter failure,” accusing the foundation of distributing aid in a manner that endangered civilians and reinforced Israeli control over the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli military has not confirmed the bus attack but amplified the GHF’s statement, asserting: “Hamas will stop at nothing to maintain control and prevent the effective delivery of aid.”
Meanwhile, US officials have doubled down on the GHF as a “secure alternative” to existing aid structures, insisting it ensures food reaches civilians without being stolen or taxed by Hamas. In contrast, the UN maintains there is no credible evidence of large-scale aid diversion and has refused to cooperate with GHF efforts, arguing they violate humanitarian principles of neutrality, impartiality, and independence.
Inhumane Aid Conditions and Civilian Risks
Critics argue the GHF’s centralized hubs force desperate civilians to travel long distances under dangerous conditions. Crowded lines at distribution points have often become flashpoints for violence. Human rights groups have condemned both Hamas and Israel for turning food distribution into a battleground.
“People are starving,” said a local doctor treating wounded civilians. “And now, even going to get a food parcel might cost you your life.”
Despite the controversy, the GHF reported that over 43,000 food parcels were distributed ‘without incident’ across Gaza this week—though that claim has been undercut by near-daily reports of casualties near distribution zones.
A Worsening Humanitarian Crisis
The UN warns that Gaza is on the brink of famine. Over 80% of the population is food-insecure. With fuel, medical supplies, and clean water running dangerously low, humanitarian experts say that international aid coordination has completely fractured.
“This tragedy shows that humanitarian relief cannot be politicized,” a UN spokesperson told reporters. “Lives are being lost because aid is being turned into a weapon of war.”
Conclusion: Political Aid or Humanitarian Lifeline?
The deaths of five Palestinian aid workers come amid a growing debate over the role of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. As accusations fly and the civilian death toll rises, the people of Gaza continue to suffer.
Whether GHF will persist—or collapse under pressure from both sides—remains uncertain. What is clear is that neutral, safe, and coordinated aid delivery is more urgent than ever.
