Tel Aviv, July 1 — The Israeli military said Monday it is investigating reports of civilians being harmed near humanitarian aid distribution points in Gaza run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a group backed by both Israel and the United States.
The move comes amid increasing international scrutiny and mounting casualties reported at these sites since operations began in late May.
The GHF system was introduced as an alternative to UN-managed aid channels, aiming to bypass Hamas, which Israel accuses of stealing humanitarian supplies — an allegation the group denies.
But since its inception, GHF sites have been the scene of near-daily violence, with the Hamas-run health ministry and eyewitnesses consistently reporting deaths of Palestinians seeking food and water.
The United Nations says over 400 Palestinians have been killed while attempting to access aid since GHF operations commenced. The Israeli military, known as the IDF, acknowledged Monday that “incidents of harm” had occurred and said any “deviation from the law or IDF directives” would be investigated. However, it denied allegations of deliberate targeting of civilians.
Reports by Israeli media, including The Times of Israel and Haaretz, have intensified pressure on the government. Haaretz last week cited unnamed IDF soldiers who alleged they were ordered to fire at unarmed civilians near aid sites to disperse crowds. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed the claims as “malicious falsehoods.”
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned the GHF aid mechanism as “inherently unsafe,” and warned of the dangers posed by excluding established humanitarian actors like the UN. Despite this, the US recently pledged $30 million in funding to the GHF — its first direct contribution.
In response to the criticism, the IDF announced changes to its operations around aid centres, including the installation of new fencing, warning signs, and directional markings aimed at improving safety and reducing clashes. It also said it would close one site in Tel al-Sultan, near Rafah in southern Gaza, and open another nearby.
GHF director Johnnie Moore told the BBC that while he did not deny deaths had occurred near aid locations, he disputed claims that all casualties were linked directly to GHF operations.
Israel has restricted access to Gaza for international media, including the BBC, limiting independent verification of events on the ground. The IDF has previously said it fired “warning shots” at individuals it deemed “suspicious” near military units or aid convoys.
The violence unfolds in the shadow of Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza, launched after Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack that left 1,200 Israelis dead and 251 taken hostage. Since then, Gaza’s health ministry says more than 56,500 people have been killed.
As food insecurity deepens and the death toll rises, calls for accountability and humanitarian oversight are only growing louder.