Gaza: Doctors Without Borders (M©decins Sans Fronti¨res - MSF) has condemned the Israeli-US food distribution scheme in Gaza, launched one month ago, calling it 'slaughter masquerading as humanitarian aid.' MSF said the plan degrades Palestinians by design, forcing them to choose between starvation or risking their lives for minimal supplies.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, MSF reported that over 500 people have been killed and nearly 4,000 wounded while seeking food, describing the initiative as a deadly facade that must be dismantled immediately. The organization urged Israeli authorities and their allies to lift the siege on food, fuel, medical, and humanitarian supplies and to reinstate the pre-existing, principled humanitarian system coordinated by the United Nations.
MSF criticized the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the Israeli-US proxy responsible for the distribution. The organization highlighted that the scheme forces thousands of Palestinians, weakened by an over 100-day-long Israeli siege, to travel long distances to reach four distribution sites, only to fight for limited food supplies.
MSF detailed the discriminatory and perilous nature of the system, explaining that it prevents vulnerable groups from accessing aid and results in numerous casualties. The international community's apparent indifference to these events, which MSF argues are consistent with genocide, is also a significant concern.
Aitor Zabalgogeazkoa, MSF's emergency coordinator in Gaza, described the distribution system as structurally violent, with distribution sites heavily fortified and monitored. The chaotic process of obtaining food has led to numerous injuries and fatalities, with MSF treating many such cases daily.
Community member Hani Abu Soud, from the Al-Mawasi healthcare centre, echoed these concerns, describing the scheme as a 'death trap' rather than aid. The soaring costs of basic food items are untenable for many, he added, making survival increasingly difficult.
MSF reported an alarming increase in gunshot injuries as the distributions persist, with Gaza's hospitals struggling to cope due to minimal supplies and infrastructure damage from Israeli attacks. Many injured individuals now resort to basic healthcare clinics or field hospitals for treatment.
The story of a teenager named Ashraf, injured while attempting to secure food for his family, underscores the scheme's deadly risks. Ashraf's mother recounted how he was shot while trying to obtain food, a stark illustration of the perilous conditions at distribution sites.
MSF reiterated that humanitarian aid should not be militarized or used to further military objectives, emphasizing that the Israeli authorities' tactics violate international humanitarian law. The organization called for a reinstatement of a genuine aid system and a sustained ceasefire to ensure the survival of Gaza's people.
