FazTimes media: Gaza City – During the hot summer in Gaza, thousands of Palestinians stand in line every day, not for jobs, school, or medical care—but for food. This isn’t just a regular line. Many people here now call it “a death journey.” With more people going hungry and aid becoming a target, trying to survive has turned into a dangerous situation. Since May, when the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), backed by the United States and Israel, began managing the aid distribution in Gaza, the situation has deteriorated significantly.

The 3 million people living there have only gotten worse. There’s not enough food, chaos is everywhere at the aid centers, and what little help is available is said to be used as a weapon. Reports say there’s increasing violence and that civilians are being targeted on purpose. According to Al Jazeera, more than 1,300 Palestinians have been killed in the past three months while trying to get food.

Many of them weren’t hit by bullets from fighting—instead, they were shot directly by Israeli forces or by American contractors working for the GHF’s distribution system.

Aid as a Battlefield

The GHF was created because of increasing international criticism of Israel's complete blockade of Gaza, which caused many people to leave their homes and led to serious problems with getting enough food. Since the U.N. was unable to help, the GHF became the only group that was legally allowed to provide food in Gaza. However, the method they used to provide food has generated significant anger among humanitarian workers.

According to The Guardian, insiders from GHF shared stories about guards shooting at civilians who were trying to get food packages. Some guards were ex-U.S. military contractors who had worked in Iraq and Afghanistan.

An aid worker who left Gaza after seeing violence at a food distribution area said to reporters, “We weren’t giving out food. We were watching a warzone. ”

In the Nuseirat refugee camp, 42-year-old Ibrahim Mekki told his terrible story. “There was shooting, killing, death, destruction, and people who died for nothing,” he said, holding up two bags of pasta and a pack of bulgur—the only things he got after waiting six hours in line under gunfire.

“I think it’s a plan,” Mekki said. “They act like we can stay safe, then they shoot.” Local health workers say at least 70 people were hurt at the same place Mekki went to last week.

The BBC reports that more than 60 cases have been recorded where children and teenagers were shot while trying to reach GHF trucks.

The Voices Behind the Numbers

One mom, who spoke without giving her name, said she risks her life to get food for her daughters. “I don’t have a husband, no brother, no job, and no help. I’m the only hope they have,” she said. On one visit, she left with just a can of tomatoes, some rice, and a bottle of oil—after being pushed, shoved, and hit in the ribs.

Still, she called it “a blessing from God.” She hurt her arm in the crowd, but she plans to go back tomorrow.

An 11-year-old boy from Beit Lahia told Al Jazeera, “I go for my little brother and sister. My father was killed. If I don’t go, they’ll die.” He said that during his last trip, he saw at least 30 people shot, including one of his classmates.

The Cost of Malnutrition

Beyond the scenes of violence, the long-term effects of Gaza’s hunger crisis are already showing up in hospitals.

Al Jazeera spoke with a mother of eight who said she lost her fourth child to serious malnutrition. Her five-month-old daughter is also very thin and weak.

“She died in my arms as I was taking her to the hospital,” she said. “Her body was just bones. We didn’t have anything to feed her.”

Doctors at Al-Shifa Hospital said there has been a big increase in childhood malnutrition, anemia, and slow development over the past three months.

Global Reactions: Anger, Silence, and Politics

The world’s response to these events has been a mix of different reactions. Some countries, such as Ireland, Norway, and Turkey, have criticized the violence and called for international groups to have access to help people in need. However, the U.S. and Israel say that using GHF is the “best and fastest” way to send aid in a difficult war situation.

Dr. Leila Mahfouz, who works on Middle East issues at the Humanitarian Action Center in Geneva, said, “Unfortunately, GHF is being used more for political reasons than for helping people.”

Al Jazeera reports that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has not been allowed to operate fully, even though many leaders in Palestine and global organizations have asked for it. Aid groups from Jordan and Egypt are also having trouble moving supplies through border checkpoints because of strict rules set by Israel.

GHF has also started using biometric registration at aid locations, where people have to scan their fingerprints or eyes to get food. This is supposed to stop people from taking too much food, but some people say it's really about watching over and controlling the people in Gaza.

Rakan Jneid, who saw a messy milk distribution, said, “It’s not food—it’s psychological warfare.” The situation got so bad that some people were run over by aid vehicles, and others were shot during the chaos.

Local Repercussions and Wider Implications

The effects of this crisis are spreading beyond Gaza. In nearby areas, people are showing more support through protests. In places like Ramallah, Amman, and Cairo, crowds are gathering to demand an end to what they describe as the “weaponization of hunger.”

In India and other parts of South Asia, where many people watch closely what’s happening in the Middle East, there’s increasing worry about how aid is being used in ways that also involve military actions.

Dr. Zoya Fatima, a human rights expert based in Delhi, said, “This creates a dangerous situation. If governments can use aid as a tool for controlling armed groups, what will happen when it’s our turn to face a crisis?”

Conclusion: A Crisis Happening Right Now

The events in Gaza are not some faraway problem—they are happening right now, and everyone around the world can see them. Thousands of Palestinians, including many kids, are putting their lives at risk just to get a little rice or a few milk cartons.

What's going on at the GHF-run sites isn't just a big humanitarian problem—it's a failure of the basic promise that should guide any help given to people in need. The numbers are getting worse, the anger is increasing, and the world is watching with fear and helplessness.

As reported by Al Jazeera, even with more deaths, the GHF keeps running its operations. And more families will keep risking everything the next day, and the day after that, because they say, "There's no other option."

FazTimes Media will keep sharing stories from the ground, helping to speak for those who don’t have a voice when the world seems too willing to look away.

At FazTimes, we prioritize accuracy, confidence, and strong journalistic standards. To ensure every news story we share is real, we verify it with multiple trustworthy and independent sources.

We’ve compared this report with coverage from major news outlets around the world, including BBC News, Reuters, Bloomberg, South China Morning Post, Al Jazeera, NDTV, The Economic Times, and The Indian Express.

Our dedication lies in upholding the highest standards in global journalism, ensuring our readers can trust the information they receive.

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