A deadly chaos unfolded in Gaza as the Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF), an Israel-backed American aid group, reported 20 Palestinians killed near a distribution site in Khan Younis on Wednesday, with 19 trampled in a stampede and one fatally stabbed. The tragedy coincides with Israeli strikes that claimed 41 lives, including 11 children, across the Gaza Strip, hospital officials confirmed.

The GHF, a Delaware-registered organization launched in February to deliver aid amid Gaza’s worsening crisis, blamed Hamas for inciting panic and spreading false information, though it offered no evidence. The United Nations and Gaza’s Health Ministry report a staggering 850 deaths since May linked to aid-seeking efforts, many near GHF sites, with witnesses alleging near-daily Israeli gunfire on crowds navigating military zones.

Israeli forces struck over 120 targets in the past 24 hours, targeting Hamas infrastructure like tunnels and weapons caches hidden among civilians, according to the military. Meanwhile, a new military corridor splitting Khan Younis was opened Thursday, a move Israel calls a pressure tactic against Hamas but which has historically stalled ceasefire talks.

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Gaza’s 2.3 million residents face a dire humanitarian crisis, teetering on famine’s edge since the war began after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which killed 1,200 and took 251 hostages. Israel’s relentless bombardment and blockade have since fueled widespread desperation. The GHF’s limited distribution sites, replacing UN-led efforts, have drawn criticism for failing to meet Gaza’s needs, with hundreds reportedly killed or injured seeking aid. Can this cycle of violence and starvation be broken?

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