At least 20 Palestinians died Wednesday during a chaotic incident at a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid distribution center in Khan Younis, with conflicting accounts emerging about the cause. The U.S.-backed GHF attributed the deaths to a crowd surge instigated by "armed agitators affiliated with Hamas," while Gaza health officials reported tear gas use triggered a fatal stampede.
The tragedy occurred as Israel announced completion of a new road in southern Gaza aimed at disrupting Hamas operations. Meanwhile, cross-border tensions flared with Israeli strikes targeting Syrian military infrastructure near Damascus and Sweida, according to Syrian state media.
Humanitarian conditions remain dire, with UN clinics reporting 10% of screened Gazan children showing malnutrition since January. The EU warned of potential action against Israel if humanitarian access doesn't improve, while U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee demanded an aggressive investigation into the killing of an American citizen in the West Bank.
Controversy surrounds GHF's aid distribution model, which bypasses UN channels. While Israel claims this prevents Hamas from diverting supplies, UN officials have raised safety concerns after documenting 875 aid-related deaths in six weeks – most near GHF sites.
