Chaos mars new aid mechanism in Gaza as war marks 600th day

GAZA CITY

The launch of an Israeli and U.S.-backed plan to deliver aid in Gaza through a private company erupted into chaos after thousands of Palestinians broke into the distribution site as the devastating war hit its 600th day on May 28.

The U.N. on Wednesday condemned the system in Gaza after 47 people were injured during a chaotic food distribution, where the Israeli military said it did not open fire at crowds.

The issue of aid has come sharply into focus amid a hunger crisis coupled with intense criticism of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a shadowy group that has bypassed the longstanding U.N.-led system in the territory.

According to the UN, 47 people were injured in the mayhem that erupted on May 27 when thousands of Palestinians desperate for food rushed into a GHF aid distribution site, while a Palestinian medical source said at least one had died.

Ajith Sunghay, the head of the U.N. Human Rights Office in the Palestinian territories, said most of the wounded had been hurt by gunfire, and based on the information he had, "it was shooting from the IDF,” the Israeli military.

The Israeli military rejected the accusation, with Colonel Olivier Rafowicz telling AFP that Israeli soldiers "fired warning shots into the air, in the area outside" the center managed by the GHF and "in no case towards the people."

With the war sparked by Hamas's 2023 attack on Israel entering its 600th day on May 28, Palestinians in Gaza felt there was no reason to hope for a better future.

In Israel, the relatives of people held hostage in Gaza since the attack longed for the return of their loved ones, with hundreds gathering in their name in Tel Aviv.

Israeli FM: Arms embargo to lead to 2nd Holocaust

Meanwhile, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar warned that a foreign arms embargo against Israel would lead to “another Holocaust.”

His stark comments came during an international conference on antisemitism in Jerusalem and followed threats from several European leaders to impose sanctions—including an arms embargo—over Israel’s ongoing military campaign against Hamas in Gaza.

“What is the meaning of actions or calls—by politicians or countries—to impose an arms embargo on Israel when everybody around wants to eliminate it?” said Saar.

“If these initiatives are successful, Israel will simply be eliminated,” he said.

“There will be another Holocaust, this time on the soil of the Land of Israel. This is, in fact, a way to deprive the Jewish nation of the means to defend itself, means we so lacked during the long years of exile and the period of the Holocaust.”

Israel to fund relocation efforts of embassies to Jerusalem

In a rare move, the Israeli cabinet has approved a government program that will allocate millions of dollars to help foreign countries move their embassies to Jerusalem.

An official statement said the support would cover various costs, including contributing to expenses tied to setting up or relocating embassies in the city, and offering assistance with housing and planning where necessary.

The long-term initiative, which will be coordinated by multiple government ministries, is designed to ease the financial and logistical challenges that have so far prevented some countries from transferring their diplomatic missions to Jerusalem.