Aid distribution centres across Gaza ceased operations on Wednesday after the Israeli military designated access routes as combat zones, marking the latest disruption to humanitarian efforts in the besieged territory.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US and Israeli-backed aid network that commenced operations one week ago, announced the closure of its sites for “update, organisation and efficiency improvements works”.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) separately prohibited civilians from entering distribution centres or travelling on roads leading to them.
The closures follow Tuesday’s killing of at least 27 Palestinians by Israeli fire near a distribution centre, according to the Hamas-run Civil Defence Agency. The IDF stated its troops fired after identifying suspects who “moved towards them deviating from the designated access routes”.
The incident marked the third deadly occurrence in three days on routes to GHF sites.
The controversial aid network operates under a system requiring Gazans to collect supplies from centres in Israeli military-controlled areas staffed by armed American contractors. Critics argue the model forces civilians to walk long distances and transport 20-kilogram boxes to their homes.
BBC Verify analysis of footage from last week’s opening of one distribution centre showed “total chaos” with desperate civilians overrunning barriers as gunshots sounded.
The UN has warned more than two million people face starvation risk in Gaza following an 11-week Israeli ban on food and aid shipments. GHF stated it would resume distribution on Thursday.
The organisation said it requested Israeli military assistance to “guide foot traffic” near military boundaries to reduce “confusion or escalation” risks whilst developing clearer civilian guidance and enhanced safety training.
GHF aims to replace the UN-led aid distribution network following repeated Israeli claims that the UN failed to prevent Hamas hijacking supplies, which the UN denies.
The UN Security Council is scheduled to vote later Wednesday on a resolution calling for “an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza” and the “immediate, dignified and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups”.
The vote represents the council’s first Gaza-related resolution since November, when the United States blocked a ceasefire draft resolution.
Israel launched its Gaza campaign following Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack that killed 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages taken into Gaza, according to Israeli figures. The subsequent military operation has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, Gaza health officials report.
Most of Gaza’s 2.1 million population has been displaced, many multiple times. An estimated 70% of buildings have been damaged or destroyed, with healthcare, water and sanitation systems collapsing amid shortages of food, fuel, medicine and shelter.
Experts, governments, United Nations agencies, and non-governmental organisations have accused Israel of carrying out genocide against the Palestinian people.
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