Hundreds of Palestinians stormed a United Nations food warehouse in central Gaza on Wednesday, as a dire humanitarian crisis escalated across the territory. Desperate for basic necessities, the crowd pushed and shoved their way into the facility, leading to the deaths of four people—two fatally crushed in the chaos and two reportedly shot, according to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.
The surge of desperation came just a day after violence broke out at a newly established aid distribution hub near Rafah. The site, backed by the Israeli and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), had seen massive crowds breach security fences.
Gaza’s Health Ministry reported one person killed and 48 injured, many suffering from gunshot wounds. While the Israeli military claimed only warning shots were fired, eyewitnesses and a Red Cross hospital said the injuries pointed to live ammunition.
The UN and other humanitarian organizations have rejected the GHF system, accusing Israel of using food as leverage and warning that forcing Palestinians to relocate to access aid may amount to forced displacement.
The aid distribution centers—described as militarized zones with chain-link fencing and guarded by private contractors—have been criticized for lacking safety and dignity.
At the stormed UN World Food Program warehouse, scenes of desperation unfolded as people clawed through crowds with heavy flour sacks. A UN envoy likened the limited food access to a “lifeboat after the ship has sunk,” while the Palestinian ambassador to the UN emotionally described the unbearable toll on children and families.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the death of senior Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar, killed in a recent airstrike. Netanyahu reaffirmed plans to relocate Gaza’s population to a “sterile zone” in the south and promote “voluntary emigration,” a policy widely seen as forced expulsion.
Separately, Israel struck the international airport in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, destroying the last plane used by Houthi rebels, who had recently launched missiles at Israel.
The war began after the Palestinian militant group Hamas killed 1,200 people and abducted 251 in an October 7 attack. In response, Israel’s campaign has killed over 54,000 Palestinians, with most of the dead reported to be women and children.