Photo/Illutration Palestinians carry humanitarian aid packages near the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distribution center operated by the U.S.-backed organization in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, on June 26. (AP Photo)

Israeli forces have reportedly opened fire on Gaza residents gathering each day at aid distribution centers in search of food, resulting in the deaths of more than 500 people.

“You can’t leave the line even when you hear gunshots. There’s no food at home—somehow, you have to bring something back,” said one man who managed to secure a single bag of flour, as quoted in a recent Asahi Shimbun report detailing the worsening hunger crisis in the Palestinian enclave.

The United Nations’ latest famine review on Gaza paints a dire picture: “Most households are eating only one meal per day and that meal is often of extremely poor nutritional value.”

The report also noted that it has become common for adults to skip meals so children and the elderly can eat. A senior official of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees described the situation starkly, warning that humanitarian aid stations have become “a death trap” for residents driven by hunger and desperation.

When the United Nations oversaw food distribution in Gaza, approximately 400 aid centers were operational.

Today, that number has dwindled to just four—mostly located in the southern region—effectively forcing residents to relocate in search of basic sustenance.

Distribution is now handled by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a newly formed and relatively obscure organization.

According to U.S. media reports, the GHF was initially conceived by Israel, which voiced strong mistrust toward the U.N.-led distribution system.

The foundation was reportedly established under U.S. leadership.

Reports also indicate that the GHF was originally headed by a former U.S. Marine who later stepped down.

The role of executive chairman was subsequently assumed by a leading figure in the evangelical Christian community—considered a key political constituency of President Donald Trump.

Ultimately, the GHF appears to be the result of a collaboration between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

As such, it departs markedly from the principles that should define humanitarian efforts in conflict zones—neutrality, independence and impartiality.

Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023, more than 56,000 Palestinians have reportedly been killed.

In this ravaged territory, unarmed civilians now face not only relentless violence but deepening starvation.

In such a devastated landscape, there should be no place for what is being called a death trap.

—The Asahi Shimbun, July 2

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

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