Already a subscriber? Make sure to log into your account before viewing this content. You can access your account by hitting the “login” button on the top right corner. Still unable to see the content after signing in? Make sure your card on file is up-to-date.

Chaos broke out at an aid distribution site in Gaza yesterday after thousands of desperate Palestinians overran the compound operated by the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

Some shit you should know before you read: If you’re unaware, there’s been mixed reporting surrounding the scale and severity of the humanitarian crisis and looming famine in Gaza, but many on the ground and in the international community now argue the situation has become unbearable in recent weeks. The United Nations and the World Food Programme have warned that half a million people in Gaza are facing starvation, with basic food items either unavailable or unaffordable due to blockades, insecurity, and looting. UN officials have described the limited food deliveries as a “drop in the bucket” compared to the overwhelming needs. President Donald Trump, typically critical of international institutions, acknowledged in a recent interview that “people in Gaza are starving” and that “something has to be done.” Israel, meanwhile, strongly denies any responsibility for a famine, blaming Hamas for stealing aid and arguing that its new aid distribution methods, including through the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, are designed to ensure supplies reach civilians without benefiting militant groups.

What’s going on now: According to eyewitness reports and video circulating online, thousands of people breached the gates of an aid distribution site in Rafah, Gaza, operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), triggering scenes of chaos and desperation. The crowd overwhelmed security barriers, tore through fences, and stormed the compound, where food parcels were being handed out under a system backed by the US and Israel. Armed American contractors were stationed at the site for protection, while Israeli troops guarded the surrounding perimeter and fired warning shots as the situation escalated.

GHF officials later confirmed their team had temporarily retreated from the area to prevent casualties, citing an uncontrollable surge of people and delays allegedly caused by Hamas-imposed blockades, which Hamas denies. They also defended their actions, saying that they had distributed around 462,000 meals.

The disorder drew immediate condemnation from UN officials and major humanitarian groups, who accused GHF of running an unsafe, politically driven operation that undermines core humanitarian principles of neutrality, impartiality, and independence.