At least 20 killed in crush at Gaza Humanitarian Foundation food hub
July 16 (UPI) -- At least 20 people were killed Wednesday in a stampede at a food distribution hub run by the U.S.-Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in the south of the besieged Palestinian enclave.
Calling it a tragic incident, GHF said 19 people were crushed to death and one was fatally stabbed in "a chaotic and dangerous surge" at the center in the Khan Younis district, for which it blamed Hamas.
The foundation said it believed the stampede by Palestinians attempting to collect food packages was "driven by agitators in the crowd" allied to Hamas.
"We have credible reason to believe that elements within the crowd -- armed and affiliated with Hamas -- deliberately fomented the unrest," GHF said in a statement.
"For the first time since operations began, GHF personnel identified multiple firearms in the crowd, one of which was confiscated. An American worker was also threatened with a firearm by a member of the crowd during the incident."
GHF blamed misinformation widely circulated on social media regarding its Wadi Gaza facility and another in the Tal Sultan district of Rafah that ceased operating some time back for "fueling confusion, driving crowds to closed sites, and inciting disorder."
However, Israel's Haaretz newspaper said the crush was triggered by GHF workers lobbing tear gas canisters into the crowd.
GHF employs armed private security contractors to maintain order and protect its facilities.
On Tuesday, the United Nations' office for human rights said 674 people had been killed in the vicinity of the sites operated by GHF since the group began its operations in Gaza in May. Many had been caught in shelling or sustained fatal gunshot wounds.
Wednesday's incident came as another senior GHF official quit after his businesses were the target of a boycott.
Israeli restaurateur and entrepreneur Shahar Segal left his role as the foundation's spokesperson on Tuesday following backlash against eateries he owns in Melbourne, Australia, and another inside a popular club in Tel Aviv's nightlife district.
Shahar's food empire, which includes the Michelin-starred Shmone in New York City, was targeted by protestors earlier this month who attacked his Miznon restaurant in Melbourne, throwing chairs, shattering a glass door and hurling anti-Israel slogans.
Three people are facing criminal charges.
The Teder nitespot in Tel Aviv criticized Segal's involvement with GHF and attempted to distance itself.
"In recent weeks, we've become aware of our partner Shahar Segal's involvement with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. We want to make it unequivocally clear: Teder has no connection to GHF, and we strongly oppose the existence of such an organization. Humanitarian aid must never serve as a tool of control over civilians, and people shouldn't die trying to get a little flour to what's left of their families," Teder said in a social media post.
GHF told NPR in a statement that Segal's departure from his role, which was unpaid, was due to an internal reorganization involving expanding its communications operation.
Segal did not immediately comment.
Executive Director and former U.S. Marine Jake Wood and Chief Operating Officer David Burke, GHF's top two officials, both resigned in the days before the scheme began operating.
Wood said he resigned because the scheme was out of step with the key humanitarian principles of "humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence."
Israel insists the GHF project is aimed at preventing aid from being stolen and resold by Hamas to fund military operations against Israel, but the U.N. and traditional aid agencies reject the scheme, saying it goes against humanitarian ethics and "weaponizes" the issue of aid.
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