The controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) tested a new method of direct aid allocation on Sunday after Palestinian sources said Israeli gunfire near the aid center killed more people.
According to media reports, in a “pilot project”, GHF directly used trucks to distribute food to Palestinians outside its distribution center.
According to the GHF, about 20 trucks provided assistance to ease the burden on existing centers.
Other Israeli media also reported on the project in northern Rafah, with local Palestinian workers reportedly receiving assistance.
At least four people were killed near the aid allocation point
Earlier Sunday, medical sources at Nasser Hospital reported that at least four people were shot and killed by Israel near the humanitarian aid distribution center in the Southern Gaza Strip.
Witnesses said the incident occurred about 1 km from the distribution center near Lafa.
The Israeli military said several suspects approached the troops in the Rafah area in the early hours of Sunday. It said the soldiers issued a warning after being instructed to leave.
The military said the area is currently classified as an “active war zone” and admitted reports of injuries but did not confirm any deaths.
Neither Palestine nor Israeli accounts can be independently verified.
The incident comes after Israeli forces opened fire, with a series of recent reports of casualties at the aid-allocation site in Gaza.
The U.S. and Israel-backed GHF manages several centers and faces international criticism and promises to improve security measures.
In a statement, the GHF said it was working to make the aid allocation as safe as possible and urged Palestinians to follow designated Army-approved routes as they approach the center.
Reopen the center after GHF is closed
GHF said it will reopen one of its centers on Sunday. The day before, they closed them down, saying it was threatened by the Palestinian Islamic militia Hamas.
A center in Rafa, southern Gaza will reopen on Sunday (0900 GMT), GHF said in a statement on its Arabic Facebook page.
Meanwhile, residents were told not to approach the center until opening hours. Otherwise, GHF may not be able to distribute food packages.
Later that day, the foundation said that the allocation of AIDS locations was not underway.
GHF also closed its distribution center on Friday for safety reasons and urged residents to stay away from facilities.
About two weeks ago, Israel eased the lockdown on aid delivery to Gaza. GHF took over the distribution of aid, bypassing UN aid organizations and other initiatives.
The organization violated impartial humanitarian assistance standards for evading established aid networks and suspected criticism of civilians.
The United Nations said last week that more Palestinians are “vulnerable to hunger” and their daily energy intake is much lower than what the human body needs to survive.
Israel has been fighting Hamas in the Gaza Strip since the militia and its allies launched an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and kidnapped 250 people.
The subsequent war killed more than 54,000 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health. These figures do not distinguish between civilian and military deaths.
Israel says it found Hamas military chief in the tunnel
Meanwhile, the Israeli military said it had found the body of Hamas military leader Mohammed Singwar in an underground tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip.
The IDF was killed along with the commander of the Dynasty Brigade, Al-Sinwar, in the May 13 attack, along with the commander of the Dynasty Brigade, Mohammed Sabaneh, in the May 13 attack.
It said the two had been hiding in the underground command and control center belonging to Hamas. The Islamic Organization has not confirmed the death of Mohammed al-Sinwar.
The Israeli military said their bodies, along with various personal belongings, were found under the European hospital in Khan Yunis. Israel has repeatedly stated that Hamas uses civilian facilities such as hospitals and schools as cover for its actions – Hamas denies.
“During the operation, the bodies of other terrorists were located during the process currently under inspection,” the statement added.
IDF showed the tunnel to several journalists on Sunday, including DPA photojournalists. It also released a video in which soldiers dragged bodies in white on the Telegram channel. The military said that near the clinic, the tunnel was far underground.
DPA photographers described the strong smell of rot in the air and said the floor was covered with worms. In a room that was obviously used as a dormitory, there were many blankets on the floor. He said there was no technical equipment or similar items.
Last year, the Israeli military killed Hamas military chiefs Mohammed Deif and Yehya al-Sinwar, and Mohammed became the new head of the Hamas armed wing Al-Qassam Brigades.
