On Monday, Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza became a scene of profound sorrow as numerous individuals gathered to pay their respects to Hossam Wafi. The father of six tragically lost his life while trying to secure essential supplies for his family.
Nahla Wafi wept inconsolably for her son, one of 31 individuals who lost their lives to Israeli gunfire while attempting to access a food distribution site the day before, as reported by the civil defense agency in the Palestinian territory.
“He went to get food for his daughters — and returned home dead,” stated Nahla Wafi, who mourned the loss of a son and had relatives injured on Sunday.
Hossam Wafi journeyed alongside his brother and nephew to a recently inaugurated distribution center located in the southern city of Rafah.
“The individuals were simply attempting to purchase flour.” “But the drone came down on them,” his mother recounted, attempting to console her four granddaughters in the courtyard of Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis.
Israel is encountering increasing criticism regarding the humanitarian situation in the conflict-stricken Gaza Strip, as the United Nations has issued a warning that the entire population is at risk of famine.
“Head over there and get bombed.”
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reported that its field hospital in Rafah treated 179 cases on Sunday, with 21 individuals declared dead upon arrival.
The International Committee of the Red Cross reported that all individuals injured “indicated they had been attempting to access an aid distribution site,” adding that “the majority sustained gunshot or shrapnel injuries.”
Israeli authorities, along with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation—a US and Israeli-supported organization responsible for operating distribution centers—have refuted claims of any such incident occurring.
The military reported that troops discharged “warning shots” at individuals who came within one kilometer of the Rafah distribution site prior to dawn.
An eyewitness reported to AFP that Thousands of individuals assembled at the location referred to locally as the Al-Alam junction between 2:00 and 4:00 a.m. (2300 GMT and 0100 GMT) to access the distribution center.
At Nasser Hospital, the young daughters of Hossam Wafi cried out for their father, tenderly kissing his body, which was enveloped in a white shroud prior to its removal.
Outside the hospital, a group of men gathered in solemn silence, their heads bowed in prayer before the lifeless body. Emotions ran high as the remains were removed, with one individual clinging to the father’s face until they were softly separated.
Ali Wafi, the uncle of the deceased, expressed his anger to AFP regarding the circumstances of his nephew’s death while attempting to secure aid.
“They venture into that area and face bombardment — airstrikes, tanks, shelling — all for a mere piece of bread,” he stated.
“He sought a piece of bread, nothing more.” What options were available to him? He needed to provide for his young children. The outcome? “He is being laid to rest today,” he remarked.
Assistance with a military presence
On Sunday, Gaza’s civil defense agency reported two deadly incidents, including fatalities in Rafah. These events occurred near the GHF centers, which the UN has indicated violate fundamental humanitarian principles and seem to align with Israeli military goals.
Numerous reports have emerged detailing chaotic scenes and the firing of warning shots at distribution sites throughout the past week.
On Thursday, the UN’s humanitarian agency (OCHA) released a video showcasing a distribution site located in the Netzarim corridor of central Gaza.
A substantial assembly of individuals has formed around four elongated corridors constructed from metal fencing strategically placed within a barren landscape. These corridors direct men and women into organized lines to collect flour.
The distribution site and its waiting area are located on a level expanse of land encircled by towering heaps of soil and sand.
The security detail consists of English-speaking guards who operate from armored vehicles.
Individuals from the Palestinian community are seen leaving the distribution zone with cardboard boxes, some of which display a “GHF” logo. They also carry wooden pallets, likely intended for reuse as fuel or for constructing shelters.
A large crowd has assembled outside the gated corridors, where tensions are evident as men push against one another. Meanwhile, a woman voices her frustration, reporting that her food package has been stolen.
Ali, Hossam Wafi’s uncle, expressed a desire for the people of Gaza to receive aid safely.
“Individuals are willing to take significant risks to access the distribution site, driven by the necessity for survival.”
