HRW Condemns ‘Death Trap’ US-Backed Aid Centres in Gaza

On Friday, Human Rights Watch (HRW) delivered a scathing condemnation of Israeli forces operating around US-supported aid centres in Gaza, accusing them of regularly killing Palestinian civilians attempting to access food and of weaponising starvation amidst an intensifying humanitarian crisis.

“US-backed Israeli forces and private contractors have created a flawed, militarised aid distribution system that has turned aid distributions into regular bloodbaths,”
— Belkis Wille, Associate Crisis and Conflict Director, Human Rights Watch

Background of the Crisis

Now nearing 22 months of war between Israel and Hamas, Gaza is reported to be descending into famine, with civilians starving to death, according to a report by UN-mandated experts.

In response, the United States and Israel supported the launch of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a private aid operation working at four locations inside Gaza. These sites are guarded by US military contractors and Israeli forces, and began operations in late May, effectively bypassing the traditional UN-led aid mechanisms.

GHF’s emergence coincided with Israel easing a two-month blockade, which had already caused critical shortages of food and essential supplies.

Timeline of Key Events

Fatalities and Violations

Reports from AFP correspondents, civil defence agencies, and witnesses on the ground confirm that Israeli troops have frequently opened fire on large groups of desperate Palestinian civilians attempting to collect food at GHF distribution centres.

According to HRW’s Belkis Wille:

“Israeli forces are not only deliberately starving Palestinian civilians, but they are now gunning them down almost every day as they desperately seek food for their families.”

Official Responses

• Israeli Military: Did not immediately respond to AFP’s request for comment on the HRW findings.
  • Previously, the Israeli army has stated it does not target unarmed civilians and aims to minimise unintended casualties.
• US Government: While the Biden administration has backed the GHF initiative, Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff was expected to visit at least one GHF food distribution site on Friday, amid rising global pressure for a sustainable and humane humanitarian response in Gaza.

Humanitarian System Displacement

As hunger deepens and casualties mount, international observers and humanitarian agencies are sounding the alarm over the increasingly lethal nature of aid delivery in Gaza. Human Rights Watch’s latest report serves as a grim indictment of the system’s failure to protect the very lives it claims to save.