The situation in Gaza has taken a dire turn, with aid distribution being used as a “tool of genocide” according to academic Pietro Stefanini. Stefanini, a tutor of history and politics at the University of Edinburgh, asserts that the US and Israel are deliberately weaponizing humanitarian assistance to serve military and strategic objectives, bypassing established aid channels. “There is this weaponisation of aid distribution as a tool of genocide, which is done specifically to advance strategic war aims,” Stefanini said.
This claim is supported by the fact that existing humanitarian organizations such as UNRWA and the World Food Programme have refused to work with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) system.
According to Stefanini, these organizations are trying to avoid being complicit in Israel’s alleged attempt to use aid to coerce the displacement of Palestinians from one area of Gaza’s territory to another. “Aid is intentionally limited to perpetuate scarcity and inflict starvation, since what the GHF provides does not meet the need of an intense food supply crisis,” Stefanini added.
The GHF has been distributing aid in Gaza since May 26, 2025, with the aim of providing an alternative to UN-led aid efforts. However, the foundation’s operations have been marred by controversy, with reports of Israeli forces and armed groups opening fire on desperate civilians seeking aid. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, over 600 Palestinians have been killed and over 4,200 injured while trying to reach aid distribution areas since the GHF began operations.
Amnesty International has condemned Israel’s actions, stating that the country is using starvation as a method of collective punishment against Palestinian civilians. The human rights organization has also accused Israel of turning “aid-seeking into a booby trap for desperate, starving Palestinians”.
Agnès Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International, has emphasized that “this devastating daily loss of life as desperate Palestinians try to collect aid is the consequence of their deliberate targeting by Israeli forces and the foreseeable consequence of irresponsible and lethal methods of distribution”.
The situation on the ground is dire, with hospitals overwhelmed and aid distribution sites becoming “human slaughterhouses”. The Gaza Health Ministry has reported that over 57,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, including at least 17,000 children. The UN has also warned of a looming famine, with 470,000 people – 22% of Gaza’s population – facing catastrophic starvation.
In light of these developments, there are growing calls for the international community to take action to address the crisis in Gaza.
Human rights organizations are urging states to impose targeted sanctions on Israeli officials implicated in international crimes and to cooperate with the International Criminal Court. The UN has also emphasized the need for an immediate and sustained ceasefire, the release of all hostages and arbitrarily detained prisoners, and full humanitarian access at scale.