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In Gaza, dying of hunger is no longer a metaphor. In less than three months, hundreds of people have been killed. Some survivors escaped death by pretending to be lifeless.

These deaths were not only caused by bombings, but also by starvation and the desperate search for food in aid queues that have become deadly traps.

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In just the past two days, more than 100 people were killed in Gaza while attempting to collect food from distribution points. Since the partial easing of the blockade in late May, nearly 800 people have died, according to UN data and Gaza’s Health Ministry.

In the southern part of the strip, civil defense authorities reported that nine people were killed near a distribution center in the Al-Shakoush area northwest of Rafah, and four others near Al-Tahlia roundabout east of Khan Younis.

On Saturday, over thirty people were shot dead by Israeli forces near an aid distribution site in Rafah.

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The next day, the tragedy repeated itself. Dozens were killed near a center operated by American contractors and backed by Israel and the US, close to the Zikim crossing between Gaza and Israel in the north.

Gaza’s Health Ministry and Civil Defense confirmed that 80 people died on Sunday, in addition to 32 killed in Saturday’s incident.

The UN World Food Programme reported that one of its 25-truck convoys carrying food to northern Gaza “faced large crowds of starving civilians who came under fire” shortly after crossing from Israel.

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The war and Israeli blockade have pushed over two million residents of Gaza to the brink of famine, according to the UN and international aid organizations.

Civilian deaths while waiting for food have become almost daily occurrences. Local sources and witnesses accuse Israel of firing on crowds, especially near distribution centers run by the “Gaza Humanitarian Foundation,” which is supported by Tel Aviv and Washington.

Horse-drawn carts carrying the wounded and dead are seen arriving at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis.

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Who manages the aid?

The “Gaza Humanitarian Foundation,” created by Israel with American backing, runs four main distribution sites. Thousands of Palestinians flock there at dawn every day despite the danger, hoping to secure food.

The foundation began its operations in May and claims the confrontations occurred outside their premises, before opening hours. It explains that extreme hunger and lack of supplies drive people to arrive several hours early.

Although Israel says the foundation aims to prevent aid from reaching Hamas, human rights groups have strongly criticized the approach, calling it a violation of the principles of impartial and independent humanitarian aid.

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Not the first time

In recent weeks, there have been several bloody incidents—ranging from direct shootings to deadly stampedes.

Earlier in July, at least 20 people died in a crush near a distribution point. An Israeli airstrike near a clinic run by an American aid group also killed over a dozen people, according to Palestinian officials and aid workers.

In June, more than 100 Palestinians seeking aid were killed by Israeli forces in at least four separate violent incidents, according to Gaza health authorities.

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UN aid operations continue to face severe obstacles, notably the lack of safe access and insufficient supplies, as warnings grow that Gaza is on the verge of famine.

Sunday’s deadly incident occurred near a border crossing, not inside one of the new aid centers. Yet both tragedies underscore the severe risks civilians face as Israel seeks to reshape the food distribution system in a war-torn Gaza, according to the New York Times.

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Israel’s Response to the Latest Tragedy

Israel has come under mounting international criticism for restricting humanitarian aid to two million people in Gaza, pushing the territory to the brink of famine.

On Sunday, the Israeli military stated that its forces fired “warning shots” after thousands gathered in northern Gaza, claiming they were responding to “a direct threat”. It added that the reported number of casualties did not align with its initial review.

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A day earlier, the military said its troops, stationed about 1,000 yards from an aid distribution point, had fired warning shots in the morning before the center opened, when people approached and ignored orders to stop.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said, “No incidents occurred today at or near any of our aid distribution sites.” However, it acknowledged that deadly violence had taken place “hours before our sites opened.”

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Although the foundation has advised civilians to avoid approaching the sites before they open, many still arrive early, sometimes walking for hours, due to the severe shortage of food and the rapid depletion of available aid.

Pretending to Be Dead

Louay Abu Ouda, 24, described to The New York Times how he survived Saturday’s violence: “This has become my terrifying daily routine. I fell to the ground and pretended to be dead just to stay alive. I couldn’t even reach for my phone to check the time.”

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In Khan Younis, young Amina Wafi summed up the despair in a single sentence told to AFP: “I’m very hungry. I’m afraid I’ll die hungry.”

What Is the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation?

The foundation was established by Israel with financial and diplomatic backing from the United States. It is staffed by American private contractors, with Israeli forces stationed nearby to secure the facilities.

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Israeli officials say the initiative is meant to deliver aid without benefiting Hamas, which they accuse of systematically seizing humanitarian supplies and restricting aid from reaching ordinary civilians.

However, human rights organizations argue that the foundation’s approach contradicts established international humanitarian practices.

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Last month, 15 human rights groups from various countries issued a joint statement saying that its “militarized model, combined with close coordination with Israeli authorities, undermines the core humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, integrity, and independence.”

At a UN Security Council meeting last week—called by the UK, Denmark, France, Greece, and Slovenia to address concerns about the Gaza crisis—the United States defended the new model and accused aid organizations rejecting it of shirking their responsibility.

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A Drop in the Ocean

UN officials have reported that distributing aid to warehouses and bakeries inside Gaza is severely hampered by the lack of safe access routes, resulting in only minimal quantities of food reaching those in need.

Tom Fletcher, head of the UN humanitarian relief agency, said at the Security Council meeting that the aid reaching Gaza is “a drop in the ocean compared to the needs” of civilians.

He added: “Rising humanitarian needs in Gaza must be met without drawing people further into the line of fire.”

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