Pits, gunfire and panic: Palestinians navigate death at US aid points
Starving under a months-long Israeli siege, he set out for the US and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) distribution point in the central Gaza Strip.
Driven by the urgent need to feed his children and orphaned nephews, Abu Zubaida, a Palestinian father who had recently lost three brothers in Israeli attacks, risked his life to reach the site.
On the way to the centre in the Gaza Valley area, there were no lights and no paved roads.
As he approached the gate, Israeli gunfire erupted.
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
Dozens around him dropped, some killed, others wounded, many screaming in agony.
"It was as if it were the Day of Judgment," Abu Zubaida told Middle East Eye, recalling the chaotic scene: shrapnel flying in every direction, the cries of the injured, and the relentless crack of gunfire.
'I woke up in a hospital bed, my clothes reeking of the decomposing bodies that were beneath me'
- Ahmad Abu Zubaida, Palestinian
In the midst of the chaos, Abu Zubaida fell into a pit more than five metres deep.
"Suddenly, I fell and remembered nothing."
In pitch darkness, his friends scrambled to find anything that could be used to rescue him. They gathered discarded electrical wires, tied them together, and fashioned makeshift ropes.
One friend climbed down into the pit to secure him. The rescue took nearly two hours, all under constant threat of sniper fire and drone surveillance.
"They pulled me out with electrical cables. After that, I remember nothing… I woke up in a hospital bed, my clothes reeking of the decomposing bodies that were beneath me."
Abu Zubaida had been transferred to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, where medical staff were already overwhelmed with casualties from the same aid point.
Burying wounded leg in the sand
In March, Israel imposed a total blockade on the Gaza Strip, plunging two million people into a severe hunger crisis.
By early June, the GHF had opened four aid distribution points, all located in perilous zones surrounded by Israeli forces.
These distribution points replaced the 400 aid points set up across Gaza under the UN, which as well as food, distributed tents and toiletries.
'Every minute felt like the agony of death, a torment known only to God'
- Mohammed Awidat, Palestinian
Accessible only on foot, the GHF aid points draw thousands of desperate Palestinians each day, many walking long distances in search of food for their children.
For most, it is a journey made out of sheer desperation, a daily risk taken just to survive.
Like Abu Zubaida, 35-year-old Mohammed Awidat felt he had no choice.
A father of five, he was prompted to go after his youngest child, just 18 months old, said her first word: bread.
That night, Awidat set out for one of the US-backed aid points. Despite the crowds and the threat of gunfire, he continued forward.
Soon after, he found himself flat on his back at the bottom of a deep pit, having fallen during the chaos and darkness, just as Abu Zubaida had before him.
Next to him lay a young man with a serious chest injury. To his right, two people had just been killed by Israeli forces.
He felt warmth spreading across his back and realised he was bleeding heavily. Shrapnel from a tank shell had struck his right thigh, nearly severing the leg.
Despite his injuries, Awidat buried his leg in the sand to deter stray dogs, which he feared would be drawn by the blood.
He said he would have preferred to be shot rather than attacked by dogs.
'Every minute felt like the agony of death, a torment known only to God,' he told MEE.
Mohammed Awidat receiving treatment at the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah (provided)
After two hours, civilians nearby heard his cries. The rescue was fraught with difficulty.
With ambulances and civil defence crews barred from the area by Israeli forces, locals had to move him themselves, taking extreme care with the leg, still attached only by skin.
He lost consciousness twice during the four-hour ordeal.
By the time he reached the hospital at dawn, his haemoglobin level had dropped to three due to significant blood loss.
Twenty days later, he still faces the risk of losing the leg, with a long recovery ahead.
Instant death
Since the controversial GHF began limited food distributions in Gaza in late May, Israeli forces have killed at least 600 Palestinians at these aid sites and wounded over 4,000.
Some of the injured, like Abu Zubaida and Awidat, were not hit by bullets, but by falling into deep wells damaged by Israeli bombardments.
'My journey to get aid in Gaza was like Squid Game' Read More »
Dr Bara' al-Attar, a physician in the intensive care unit at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, described the grim survival odds of such falls.
"Injuries from falls into these wells mostly affect the head and abdomen," he told MEE.
"Eighty to 90 percent of such cases result in instant death."
Local media report that at least two aid seekers have died after falling into exposed wells in the Wadi Gaza area.
Dr Ismail Al-Thawabta, director general of the Gaza-based Government Media Office, said a three-stage response plan has been developed to address the risk. The plan involves coordination between municipal authorities and civil defence teams.
However, most of the affected wells are located in high-risk zones that cannot be accessed without prior coordination with Israeli forces.
Without such approval, any rescue or repair efforts face the risk of direct targeting, significantly limiting operations on the ground.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Middle East Eye
11 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
Pits, gunfire and panic: Palestinians navigate death at US aid points
At 2am, Ahmad Abu Zubaida received a text message from friends: aid had finally arrived. Starving under a months-long Israeli siege, he set out for the US and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) distribution point in the central Gaza Strip. Driven by the urgent need to feed his children and orphaned nephews, Abu Zubaida, a Palestinian father who had recently lost three brothers in Israeli attacks, risked his life to reach the site. On the way to the centre in the Gaza Valley area, there were no lights and no paved roads. As he approached the gate, Israeli gunfire erupted. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Dozens around him dropped, some killed, others wounded, many screaming in agony. "It was as if it were the Day of Judgment," Abu Zubaida told Middle East Eye, recalling the chaotic scene: shrapnel flying in every direction, the cries of the injured, and the relentless crack of gunfire. 'I woke up in a hospital bed, my clothes reeking of the decomposing bodies that were beneath me' - Ahmad Abu Zubaida, Palestinian In the midst of the chaos, Abu Zubaida fell into a pit more than five metres deep. "Suddenly, I fell and remembered nothing." In pitch darkness, his friends scrambled to find anything that could be used to rescue him. They gathered discarded electrical wires, tied them together, and fashioned makeshift ropes. One friend climbed down into the pit to secure him. The rescue took nearly two hours, all under constant threat of sniper fire and drone surveillance. "They pulled me out with electrical cables. After that, I remember nothing… I woke up in a hospital bed, my clothes reeking of the decomposing bodies that were beneath me." Abu Zubaida had been transferred to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, where medical staff were already overwhelmed with casualties from the same aid point. Burying wounded leg in the sand In March, Israel imposed a total blockade on the Gaza Strip, plunging two million people into a severe hunger crisis. By early June, the GHF had opened four aid distribution points, all located in perilous zones surrounded by Israeli forces. These distribution points replaced the 400 aid points set up across Gaza under the UN, which as well as food, distributed tents and toiletries. 'Every minute felt like the agony of death, a torment known only to God' - Mohammed Awidat, Palestinian Accessible only on foot, the GHF aid points draw thousands of desperate Palestinians each day, many walking long distances in search of food for their children. For most, it is a journey made out of sheer desperation, a daily risk taken just to survive. Like Abu Zubaida, 35-year-old Mohammed Awidat felt he had no choice. A father of five, he was prompted to go after his youngest child, just 18 months old, said her first word: bread. That night, Awidat set out for one of the US-backed aid points. Despite the crowds and the threat of gunfire, he continued forward. Soon after, he found himself flat on his back at the bottom of a deep pit, having fallen during the chaos and darkness, just as Abu Zubaida had before him. Next to him lay a young man with a serious chest injury. To his right, two people had just been killed by Israeli forces. He felt warmth spreading across his back and realised he was bleeding heavily. Shrapnel from a tank shell had struck his right thigh, nearly severing the leg. Despite his injuries, Awidat buried his leg in the sand to deter stray dogs, which he feared would be drawn by the blood. He said he would have preferred to be shot rather than attacked by dogs. 'Every minute felt like the agony of death, a torment known only to God,' he told MEE. Mohammed Awidat receiving treatment at the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah (provided) After two hours, civilians nearby heard his cries. The rescue was fraught with difficulty. With ambulances and civil defence crews barred from the area by Israeli forces, locals had to move him themselves, taking extreme care with the leg, still attached only by skin. He lost consciousness twice during the four-hour ordeal. By the time he reached the hospital at dawn, his haemoglobin level had dropped to three due to significant blood loss. Twenty days later, he still faces the risk of losing the leg, with a long recovery ahead. Instant death Since the controversial GHF began limited food distributions in Gaza in late May, Israeli forces have killed at least 600 Palestinians at these aid sites and wounded over 4,000. Some of the injured, like Abu Zubaida and Awidat, were not hit by bullets, but by falling into deep wells damaged by Israeli bombardments. 'My journey to get aid in Gaza was like Squid Game' Read More » Dr Bara' al-Attar, a physician in the intensive care unit at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, described the grim survival odds of such falls. "Injuries from falls into these wells mostly affect the head and abdomen," he told MEE. "Eighty to 90 percent of such cases result in instant death." Local media report that at least two aid seekers have died after falling into exposed wells in the Wadi Gaza area. Dr Ismail Al-Thawabta, director general of the Gaza-based Government Media Office, said a three-stage response plan has been developed to address the risk. The plan involves coordination between municipal authorities and civil defence teams. However, most of the affected wells are located in high-risk zones that cannot be accessed without prior coordination with Israeli forces. Without such approval, any rescue or repair efforts face the risk of direct targeting, significantly limiting operations on the ground.
The National
a day ago
- The National
Even Gaza's dead struggle for peace as war leads to shortage of graves
As the war in Gaza enters its 22nd month, life in the enclave is a daily struggle not only for survival but also for dignity in death. With bombardment, displacement and a lack of basic essentials, the Palestinian people are facing yet more anguish due to a shortage of graves. Scarce construction materials, restricted access or destruction of graveyards by the Israeli military, as well as the mounting number of bodies, are prompting Palestinians to improvise novel and desperate ways to lay their loved ones to rest, sometimes corpse on top of corpse. Cement, stone and tiles are in short supply and cemeteries are overwhelmed. Many families have taken to burying bodies in their gardens at home, schoolyards or public spaces, often in hastily dug sandpits without proper grave coverings or protection. 'It's one of the most painful things in war, to not be able to provide even a grave for your loved ones,' said Sufyan Al Shurabji, 56, a resident of the Shujaiya neighbourhood who lost his nephew Muadh and family in an Israeli air strike on Gaza city. Due to the inflated cost of a resting place, he had no choice but to bury all five in one grave, stacked on top of each other. 'Instead of mourning the martyr, you're overwhelmed by the challenge of finding a grave, a cemetery, a final place of rest." He had been told a single grave would cost 1,100 shekels ($330) in cash. 'That meant we needed about 5,000 shekels just to bury them properly,' Mr Sufyan said. 'But in this war, people are penniless. We searched for free graves through charitable initiatives but everything had run out. Israeli missile destroys popular beach cafe on Gaza city seafront 'We usually bury our dead in the family cemetery in Shujaiya but it's now inaccessible due to the presence of occupation forces. We were forced to bury them in a new cemetery in western Gaza.' An official from Gaza's Ministry of Endowments told The National that the shortage stems from a lack of construction materials due to strict controls on imports by Israel. Without these materials, families are unable to bury their loved ones in accordance with Islamic rites. 'Since the beginning of the war, the occupation has targeted cemeteries, completely or partially destroying about 40 across various areas of the Gaza Strip,' the official said. 'In addition, access to many cemeteries within military-controlled zones is blocked.' Refuge in burial sites Some Palestinians displaced from their homes have also sought refuge in burial sites, setting up tents inside or near cemeteries, further reducing burial space, the ministry added. Authorities have been working with volunteers to address the crisis by constructing makeshift graves, using mud and reclaimed stone from bombed-out homes. Zinc sheets are being used instead of traditional tiles to cover the graves. But these efforts are inadequate. 'The crisis is escalating due to the extreme shortage and inflated cost of materials,' the ministry official said. "Preparing a single grave now costs between 700 and 1,000 shekels, an unbearable expense for families already devastated by war. 'Currently, we have no ready graves available for burying martyrs. Many are forced to lay their loved ones in open pits, exposing bodies to the risk of being disturbed by stray animals.' The ministry recently issued an urgent appeal to Arab and Islamic nations, as well as charities to support its Ikram, or Dignity, campaign, an initiative to build more burial sites. Hani Abu Mousa, a humanitarian worker in southern Gaza, said his team usually focused on delivering food and water in the enclave. But in recent weeks, their efforts have shifted. 'We've been receiving increasing pleas from families asking for help securing graves for their loved ones,' he told The National. 'Initially, we responded by providing graves on land allocated by the Ministry of Endowments in western Khan Younis,' he said. 'But those filled quickly as the number of martyrs grows daily.' Efforts to construct more graves have been thwarted by shortages of materials, he added. Volunteers have resorted to using makeshift alternatives like zinc sheets, wood and iron to cover bodies and protect them from animals. 'It's heart-breaking," Mr Abu Mousa said. "Even in death, there's no peace here.'
Zawya
2 days ago
- Zawya
Crew of Greek ship hit off Yemen safe but vessel risks sinking, operator says
The 19-member crew of a Greek bulk carrier severely damaged in the Red Sea by repeated attacks, most likely by Houthi militants, are safe and will arrive in Djibouti later on Monday, the ship's operator said. However, the fate of the Liberian-flagged Magic Seas was unclear, with the vessel at risk of sinking, said Michael Bodouroglou, a representative of its operator Stem Shipping. Sunday's assault off the southwest coast of Yemen was the first such incident reported in the vital shipping corridor since mid-April. In a raid lasting more than four hours, the Magic Seas was attacked by gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades from skiffs, as well as by sea drones and missiles. The ship was carrying iron and fertilisers from China to Turkey, and Stem Shipping received no warning of the attack, Bodouroglou told Reuters. "It struck us like lightning," he said. Since the war in Gaza began in October 2023, the Houthis have fired at Israel and at shipping in the Red Sea in what the group says are acts of solidarity with the Palestinians. Israel has struck Houthi targets in response, launching strikes on Monday for the first time in nearly a month. A U.S.-Houthi ceasefire deal in May did not include Israel. The Magic Seas had made a port call to Israel in the past but the latest transit appeared low-risk as it had nothing to do with Israel, Bodouroglou said. A passing vessel had picked up the crew from lifeboats and would deliver them to Djibouti in the coming hours, in an operation coordinated by the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), he said. "Fortunately, we had no injuries," Bodouroglou added. The crew had reported fires at the vessel's forepeak. The engine room and at least two of its holds were flooded, and electricity was cut off. "We don't have any further information since the crew, terrorized, abandoned the vessel," Bodouroglou said. (Reporting by Renee Maltezou, Yannis Souliotis and Jonathan Saul; Editing by Aidan Lewis)
