Chaos as Gazans overrun new controversial aid delivery site near Rafah

Thousands of people rushed into a new aid distribution centre run by a US-backed group in southern Gaza on Tuesday, an AFP journalist reported.

The group, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, said in a statement that at one point the "volume of people at the SDS (distribution centre) was such that the GHF team fell back to allow a small number of Gazans to take aid safely and dissipate".

In a statement of its own, Gaza's government media office said "thousands of hungry people... rushed toward these areas in a tragic and painful scene".

The "Gaza Humanitarian Foundation" has begun distributing food parcels to residents in the southwestern area of the Gaza Strip, specifically atop the ruins of Tel al-Sultan neighborhood in Rafah, drawing strong rejection from the United Nations and heightened local security concerns.

Hundreds of Palestinians gathered at the distribution site Tuesday afternoon, with eyewitnesses describing chaotic scenes and a lack of formal organization.

No official invitations or notification messages were issued to beneficiaries, raising questions about the foundation’s protocols.

The foundation claimed it began operations two days ago despite objections from international humanitarian organizations. UN agencies criticized the initiative, citing a lack of coordination with accredited humanitarian bodies and warning that the aid may not reach those most in need.

Concerns have also been raised about the transparency and accountability of the foundation’s operations.

Local security sources have expressed alarm over the foundation’s opaque structure and alleged links to security agencies, describing its approach as part of a wider “militarization of aid” policy reportedly overseen by the “Israeli” military.

Field reports indicate that the foundation's staff follow strict security procedures, including manned checkpoints, iron gates, electronic fencing, and biometric iris scans for all aid recipients—measures that have triggered privacy concerns and fears of increased surveillance.

The “Israeli” military has defended its backing of the foundation, claiming the approach is designed to prevent aid from reaching Hamas. However, human rights groups argue that these tactics undermine impartial humanitarian efforts and hinder the safe and equitable distribution of aid.