Desperation Grows as Crowd Storms Food Warehouse in Central Gaza

Tensions in Gaza escalated further as a crowd broke into a food warehouse in the central region late last night, resulting in at least two reported deaths, according to initial assessments from the U.N. World Food Program. The incident comes amid deepening humanitarian desperation and growing international criticism of Israel’s control over aid distribution.

The United Nations condemned Israel’s newly imposed aid delivery system, with a senior official describing it as “an assault on [Palestinians’] human dignity.” Israel, which halted aid deliveries for over two months, claims the new mechanism is designed to prevent diversion by Hamas by routing assistance through Israeli-controlled checkpoints.

The situation has already sparked unrest. On Tuesday, when the new system took effect, dozens were injured during a chaotic scramble at a distribution point. The U.N. and humanitarian agencies warn that replacing the previous U.N.-run aid network with an Israeli-led approach puts civilians at greater risk, especially by forcing long treks to limited and tightly controlled access points.

“There’s growing concern that this may be part of a broader strategy to displace Palestinians from northern Gaza,” said Patrick Kingsley, the Times’ Jerusalem bureau chief. “Israel argues the change reduces Hamas’s ability to hoard aid, but the U.N. fears it endangers already vulnerable civilians.”

International backlash is intensifying. European Union officials condemned both the new aid procedures and Israel’s threats of a renewed ground offensive. E.U. foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas emphasized, “The disproportionate use of force and the deaths of civilians cannot be tolerated. Humanitarian aid must never be politicized or militarized.”

Meanwhile, in Washington, President Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, indicated that a new cease-fire proposal was in development, expressing optimism about progress toward a long-term resolution: “I have some very good feelings about getting to a lasting cease-fire,” he said.