Starving Palestinian civilians are being subjected to deliberate and indiscriminate violence during food distributions by the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). Doctors Without Borders (MSF) reports this in a new report tellingly titled"This is not aid, but orchestrated murder." "People are as likely to get food as they are to get a bullet in the head," it says. The organization is calling for the aid to be taken over by the United Nations (UN).

A new report from Doctors Without Borders (MSF) documents in detail how civilians are subjected to horrific violence during food distributions by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). The findings come from the organization's staff in two MSF hospitals in Gaza that are handling the influx of victims from the food distributions.

Between June 7 and July 24, 1,380 victims of food distributions by the GHF ended up in the two hospitals, including 28 fatalities," Caroline Willemen of AZG told VRT NWS. During those seven weeks, AZG treated 71 children for gunshot wounds."One of the most shocking examples is an eight-year-old girl who received a gunshot wound to the chest."

The organization emphasizes that this represents only a fraction of the total number of victims. Far from everyone ends up in MSF hospitals. The organization sees"clear patterns and almost anatomical precision" in the wounds being admitted. In one hospital, mainly abdominal wounds are received, while in another hospital at a different MSF aid center, mainly head wounds are received."It suggests that people are being deliberately targeted," they say.

People have the same chance of getting food as of getting a bullet in their head

Caroline Willemen of AZG

"Children shot in the chest while searching for food, people trampled in crowds, entire crowds shot at food distributions," MSF chief Raquel Ayora said in a press release."In Doctors Without Borders' 54 years, we have rarely seen such systematic violence against unarmed civilians. MSF's food distributions are disguised as 'aid,' but they are laboratories of cruelty. This must stop."

"What's happening at those GHF food points is inhumane," says Willemen."People have as much chance of getting food as they do of getting a bullet in the head."

What is GHF?

At the end of May, the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation took over the distribution of emergency aid from the UN. The GHF is controversial because it was established with support from Israel and the US. According to the UN, the organization is therefore far from impartial.

Not only the fact that Israel can decide who gets food and when, but also the way the aid is distributed has drawn international criticism. By working with fixed distribution centers, a population already weakened by famine has to move through dangerous terrain to receive aid.

At the same time, these fixed distribution centers are guarded by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and private American contractors. Deaths regularly occur during these food distributions. From bullets, but also because so many starving people show up that people are trampled.

"The GHF food distribution points are part of the Israeli authorities' genocidal campaign in Gaza," says Caroline Willemen. According to AZG, people who do receive food aid are often subsequently robbed by other starving civilians."What we see is organized chaos: people are driven to such a state of desperation by hunger that the law of the strongest begins to play out. Hunger is being used as a weapon of war."

According to the aid organization, their staff had to come up with a new acronym to register patients: BBO, beaten by others."This refers to people who get trampled in the crowd or are physically attacked immediately after receiving help," they said."It is deliberate dehumanization."

Despite condemnations and calls to dismantle GHF, it is astonishing that the world is doing nothing

Aitor Zabalgogeazkoa, who coordinates MSF from Gaza

"We are only treating a fraction of all victims," says Aitor Zabalgogeazkoa, who coordinates MSF from Gaza."We can only describe the killings of children as intentional. Despite the condemnations and calls to dismantle GHF, it is astonishing that the world is doing nothing."

MSF demands that GHF's activities in Gaza be immediately halted and that the United Nations be allowed to resume emergency aid distributions. MSF also calls for all border crossings to be reopened so that all aid currently stationed at the border can enter. An investigation into possible violations of Israeli and international law during GHF distributions is also needed.