Deadly Attack on Aid Workers Near Khan Yunis
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a recently established US-Israel-backed aid group, found itself caught in brutal crossfire on June 11. The group said its bus, packed with staff and local Palestinians, came under attack close to its main distribution center in Khan Yunis, Gaza. The result? Five workers dead, several others wounded, and fears that more could have been taken hostage. According to the GHF, these workers had already faced repeated Hamas threats in the days before the attack, with warnings about 'severe consequences' for working with Israeli-supported aid efforts.
Such threats weren't left to words. GHF claims Hamas directly targeted the bus after labeling the foundation's operations as collaboration. The attack didn't just stop at deaths and injuries — it triggered uncertainty for each family member whose loved one hasn't come home. Who's missing? Who might be among the feared hostages?
Violence at Aid Hubs as Crowds Seek Scarce Supplies
This wasn't a one-off. Local medical workers reported that attempts to access food around GHF distribution centers turned deadly elsewhere the same day. Eighteen Palestinians lost their lives and 200 were left injured, mostly in clashes that erupted when desperate crowds pushed toward what little aid was available. There's a grim routine to it: people risk everything for a shot at food, only to find themselves dodging gunfire, or worse.
The GHF, active only since late May, was set up with one mission — to get urgent relief to Gaza by sidestepping the United Nations' complex logistics. Backers in Washington and Jerusalem called it a more direct route to helping civilians. But moving fast hasn't meant moving safely. The group has faced daily gunfire around its hubs and frequent warnings from Hamas, with some locals accusing the GHF of providing too little, too late. Many families find themselves waiting in long, frustrating lines for basic supplies, knowing a single misstep could turn fatal.
For aid workers, the risks are growing. GHF's operations are regularly disrupted by violence, with reports of shootings near their sites almost daily. Fear hangs over staff who debate whether to keep showing up — will today be the day another bus is hit, another banner of warning turns into tragedy?
International observers are left guessing about the full picture. Press access to Gaza is tightly restricted, muddying the facts and turning each report into a puzzle of rumors, statements, and whatever bits of cellphone footage escape the border. Still, the message is clear: life for Palestinians crowded around Gaza's aid hubs is getting ever more dangerous, with food, safety, and truth all growing harder to find.