Israeli troops shot dead at least 46 Palestinians in central and southern Gaza, trying to get food handouts. The report by the witnesses and medics asserted that the fatalities were civilians, with many having converged to obtain vital aid that was being handed out through the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). These are among the killings that are on an increasing trend, with hundreds of lives being claimed since the aid operation commenced.
The UN claimed to be concerned with the increasing Gaza aid deaths, so much so that they referred to the present food distribution system as a death trap. Despite world outcry, cases of Israeli fire close to humanitarian aid places still happen almost day-to-day.
What Impact is the Current Aid System Having on Civilians?
The people of Gaza are finding it hard to reach necessities (such as flour and water). In a case scenario, one mother gave an account of how her teenage son went out to seek food to feed his family, but ended up being shot and seriously injured. He is in intensive care. The situation is not an exception.
Images filmed at a central hospital in Gaza depicted overburdened hospitals. Stretchers were occupied, and there was a lack of room, so that many of the wounded had to lie on the floor. Civilians, bloodied, screamed in pain, and others showed up dead. The resultant deaths of the Gaza aid are these repeat visits to the agonizing choices of many Gazans, who starve in safety or risk death in the search. Here is the link to our article on the Gaza Airstrike Tragedy
What is The Role of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation?
GHF, a US-Israel-patronized private group, started delivering relief soon after the blockade by Israel was lifted. The group has served itself by claiming to have delivered more than 41 million meals since May. But it is the subject of great secrecy and has been using armed private contractors and has declined to coordinate with the UN and the major aid agencies.
Its opponents say that the very existence of the GHF justifies Israeli monopoly on the provision of aid and undermines universally recognized humanitarian systems. Officials of the UN state that the tactics of the foundation humiliate and endanger the people being assisted by them. With the death of aid workers in Gaza on the increase, close attention has been given to the GHF.
Why has the UN rejected Israel’s aid plan?
The new aid mechanism of Israel has been repudiated categorically by UN agencies, agencies dealing with refugees, and human rights. UN calls the system against international humanitarian law as it militarizes the zones of the aid and denies neutral organizations access to them.
According to the officials, such activities as weaponizing food distribution and denying life-saving services could be a form of war crimes. As a spokesperson pointed out, humanitarian aid should by no means be conditional or part of a military campaign.
The refusal by the UN underlines the fact that the international community is worried about the model primarily because it shows that military strategy is pursued at the expense of civilian well-being.
The recent fatal case: What occurred?
There have been two fatal occurrences that have occurred in recent times, both associated with GHF areas of distribution. At least 21 anti-theft lives were killed and approximately 150 were injured in one instance close to Nuseirat. Survivors reported scenes of havoc, as Israeli soldiers are also reported to have opened fire at a whim.
In a different episode in southern Gaza, tanks have been said to move toward waiting people looking forward to aid, and started shooting. According to a witness, the fire was set randomly and injured several dozen and killed at least 25. These attacks are not a new phenomenon, but they still do not attract much attention all over the world, partly because of the change in headlines on other fronts.
Although the Israeli forces claim that the situation is under review, eyewitness reports and medical reports prove that the majority of the victims were unarmed citizens.
Has Israel Reacted to the UN and Civilian Signals?
According to the military of Israel, it permits GHF to act independently and acts within international law. However, it failed to accept direct responsibility for the Gaza aid deaths, but kept insisting that investigations are still underway.
The government considers GHF as the key in the strategy of a larger scope and aimed at minimizing Hamas influence in Gaza. Nevertheless, as the use of aid zones turns out to be an area of mass casualties, the policy seems to be self-defeating in terms of humanitarianism.
The attempts to use a new stage of war with GHF-controlled aid points are, to a great extent, frozen, which means that they may encounter objections either in international or domestic communities. Here is the link to our article on the Gaza Aid Attack
What are The Enlarged Humanitarian Implications?
Although there is still humanitarian aid that moves into Gaza, it is not even close to the ideal amount. Some organizations, such as World Central Kitchen, have started to partially resume their activities, but the experts predict that famine is just around the corner. Many families have become diet effective based on bread and salt.
Some fathers, such as Mahmoud al-Ghur, have decided to never go to aid distribution places, declaring these areas as death zones. He refuses it for personal reasons; his son starved to death in search of food. These narrations explain how fear had become more dominant than survival.
The humanitarian crisis continues to intensify, and the Gaza aid fatalities are adding to the burden being experienced by civilians. More lives may be lost in aid of humanity unless the international pressure and policy change occur.
Why Is There a Minute Global Response?
One might think that international concern is rather quiet despite the magnitude of the tragedy. Most of the media in the world have taken a different turn following a recent Israeli raid against Iran. The shift has enabled recurrent civilian carnage in Gaza to be covered minimally over time or political uproar.
The proponents of human rights often claim that such perceived invisibility enables perpetration to occur without any interdiction. Demands on global responsibility and change of the aid machinery are increased, though they have not gained any practical response.
This subdued reaction gives rise to alarming issues concerning the equity of the world concerning humanitarian advocacy and enforcement.
Final Thoughts
According to the nature of the given aid system, it is supposed to offer relief, but it has caused a sharp increase in the number of civilian casualties in Gaza. The Gaza aid deaths reveal a very flawed system that compels individuals to take their lives to the edge in pursuit of their needs. Food, which used to signify life, is a source of fear and suffering now. Civilians are in a rut where staying alive is an expensive affair. This strategy needs to be reviewed by the international community at once. The humanitarian assistance should be neutral, non-militarized, and anchored in saving lives, not intended to serve political or military interests.
