At least 20 Palestinians killed in stampede at Gaza aid site

At least 20 Palestinians were killed on Wednesday at an aid distribution site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, in what the US- and 'Israeli'-backed organization claimed was a deadly crowd surge incited by armed individuals.

GHF stated that 19 people were trampled and one person was fatally stabbed during the chaos. The group accused elements affiliated with Hamas of deliberately triggering the unrest.

“We have credible reason to believe that elements within the crowd, armed and affiliated with Hamas, deliberately fomented the unrest,” GHF said in a statement.

Hamas rejected the accusation as “false and misleading,” claiming that GHF guards and 'Israeli' soldiers sprayed people with pepper gas and opened fire. GHF denied the allegation, stating that “at no point was tear gas deployed, nor were shots fired into the crowd,” adding that pepper spray was used “only to safeguard additional loss of life.”

Palestinian health officials said 21 people died from suffocation. 

The incident comes as the UN reported at least 875 deaths near Gaza aid sites over the past six weeks, mostly around GHF distribution points. Most fatalities were reportedly caused by gunfire, which locals have blamed on 'Israeli' forces. The 'Israeli' military has acknowledged civilian harm near aid sites and said new instructions were issued.

The GHF operates independently of the UN-led aid system, relying on US private security and logistics firms. While 'Israel' accuses the UN mechanism of allowing Hamas to intercept aid, Hamas denies the claim. The UN has criticized the GHF model as unsafe and lacking neutrality.