Gaza aid centre reopens after threats from Hamas left hundreds of thousands hungry yesterday

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) has resumed aid distribution in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, a day after squarely blaming Hamas for preventing the delivery of urgently needed food.

One distribution centre opened briefly during the morning hours today, closing for the day after completing the distribution of food packages, according to GHF. Two more sites were scheduled to open at noon in the Tel Sultan area of Rafah City in southern Gaza.

Threats from Hamas resulted in aid not being distributed on Saturday, marking the fourth disruption to GHF operations within a week and the second full-day shutdown of aid centres.

GHF, a recently formed aid agency supported by Israel and the U.S., said Hamas issued threats against its local staff and drivers, making it too dangerous to proceed with food distribution.

In a statement that came after the aid group was forced to close its distribution centres, the GHF said: “Hamas is the reason hundreds of thousands of hungry Gazans were not fed today. The group issued direct threats against GHF operations. These threats made it impossible to proceed today without putting innocent lives at risk.”

According to GHF, Hamas is pressuring the group to revert to previously used UN-backed distribution systems, which it claims allowed Hamas to divert aid for its own purposes. The foundation accused Hamas of “manipulating the distribution processes” in the past and insisted it would not be deterred from its mission despite the threats.

Since its launch last month, GHF has opened three distribution hubs in southern Gaza, although only two have been intermittently functional. The group’s presence has been controversial, facing criticism from international aid agencies and the UN, who say GHF is failing to meet the full scope of humanitarian needs in Gaza.

People carry boxes of relief supplies from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a private US-backed aid group that has bypassed the longstanding UN-led system in the territory, May 29, 2025 (Credit: EYAD BABA/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images

Some observers have warned that GHF’s centres may draw large crowds into dangerous conditions, pointing to reports of a series of deadly incidents occurring recently near its compounds.

Last Sunday, 31 Gazans were reportedly killed and nearly 200 injured during a pre-dawn rush to an aid hub in Rafah. Hamas blamed the IDF for the casualties, but the Israeli military denied responsibility.

GHF was created as an alternative to the long-established UN-run aid system in the war-torn enclave, which Israel and the U.S. accuse of being compromised by Hamas. The GHF, which the U.S. and Israel argue can effectively box Hamas out of the distribution process, began operations in conjunction with a renewed Israeli offensive in Gaza.