At least 21 Palestinians were killed and dozens injured on Wednesday in a deadly stampede and tear gas incident at a food distribution site in southern Gaza, operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a controversial aid group backed by the United States and Israel.

The tragedy unfolded at Secure Distribution Site 3 (SDS3) in Khan Younis, where thousands of civilians had gathered in hopes of receiving food. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, the crowd was trapped in narrow corridors after metal gates were closed, and tear gas and pepper spray were deployed, triggering panic and suffocation.

Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic and deadly. “Children and young people fell, and people trampled over them,” said one survivor. The GHF denied using tear gas or live fire, claiming only limited pepper spray was used to prevent further casualties.

The incident marks the first time deaths have been recorded due to suffocation and stampede at GHF sites, which have been criticized by the UN and humanitarian groups as “death traps.” Over 870 Palestinians have died near GHF aid hubs since May.

In parallel, Israeli airstrikes killed more than 50 people in the past 24 hours, with bombings reported in Jabalia al-Balad, al-Nazla, and al-Jarn, where demolition operations continue.

Amid the violence, the Israeli military announced the completion of the 15-kilometer “Magen Oz” corridor, bisecting Khan Younis from east to west. Built by the 36th Division and Golani Brigade, the route is part of a broader strategy to fragment Gaza’s territory and apply pressure on Hamas during ceasefire negotiations.

Critics, including the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, warn that the corridor isolates nearly 45% of Khan Younis, erasing urban infrastructure and deepening the humanitarian crisis.

Since the war’s escalation in October 2023, more than 58,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

At the Emergency Ministerial Conference on Palestine in Bogotá, UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, recently sanctioned by U.S. President Donald Trump, condemned the situation in Gaza as a systematic campaign of destruction and starvation.

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