by Worthy News Jerusalem Bureau Staff
(Worthy News) – The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) has accused Hamas of launching a deadly attack on one of its buses late Wednesday, killing at least five local staffers, wounding others, and possibly taking some as hostages. The incident marks a violent escalation in tensions surrounding the distribution of foreign aid in Gaza.
According to a GHF statement, the attack occurred around 10 p.m. as a bus carrying over two dozen GHF staffers–mostly local Gazans–was en route to an aid distribution site in the southern city of Khan Younis. The foundation, backed by the U.S. and Israel, condemned the assault and confirmed it is still working to verify the full scope of casualties and potential abductions.
“This attack did not happen in a vacuum,” the GHF said. “For days, Hamas has openly threatened our team, our aid workers, and the civilians who receive aid from us. These threats were met with silence.”
Hamas-affiliated social media accounts claimed responsibility for an attack targeting what they alleged were members of the Israel-aligned Abu Shabab clan. However, a Facebook page operated by the clan swiftly denied this, rejecting Hamas’s justification for the strike.
The humanitarian group further revealed that its workers have received direct threats from Hamas in recent days, including chilling messages warning of “severe consequences” for cooperating with Israeli and American aid initiatives. One such message read, “Your movements are being monitored with extreme precision… Stop now, or else.”
Since its launch on May 26, GHF has faced mounting operational challenges. The organization says it has distributed over 271,000 boxes of aid–primarily non-perishable food–but its model has drawn criticism from the UN and other groups. Unlike UN-run operations, which distribute aid within Palestinian-held areas, GHF requires recipients to cross Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) lines, often risking their lives in the process.
Humanitarian agencies say this approach has contributed to chaos and suffering. Red Cross officials and Hamas-linked health workers report nearly daily mass-casualty incidents involving Gazans attempting to reach GHF sites. The IDF has admitted firing “warning shots” at crowds who veered off designated routes at least eight times.
While Israel has allowed an average of 65 aid trucks into Gaza daily since partially lifting its blockade on May 19, the World Food Program warns that the territory needs closer to 300 trucks per day to prevent starvation. Prior to the easing of the blockade, Gaza endured a 78-day near-total halt to aid shipments.
Early Thursday morning, GHF reported it had completed overnight food distribution at a central Gaza site–despite IDF warnings for civilians not to approach such locations before 6 a.m. The group did not explain why it continued night operations, which have previously triggered clashes and overcrowding.
Viral footage circulated Tuesday showing swarms of Gazans overrunning a GHF site moments after it opened, underscoring the ongoing desperation and instability tied to humanitarian distribution efforts.
Despite the deadly ambush and continued threats, GHF vowed not to halt its mission. “We will not be intimidated,” the organization stated. “Our commitment to feeding the hungry in Gaza remains firm.”
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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