'The aid is a death trap'

As the world focuses on Israel's conflict with Iran, hundreds of starving Palestinians are being killed at American-run aid distribution sites in Gaza, write Bel Trew and Richard Hall

- Bel Trew and Richard Hall

"My son went to get some flour for his family, but came back in a coffin and a death shroud."

These are the words of father-of-six Iyad Abu Darabi describing how Israeli forces killed his 25-year-old son Mussa in southern Gaza in the first few weeks of June.

Desperate and starving, the young man had snuck off against his family's wishes to collect food from a specially designated distribution site backed by Israel and run by the deeply controversial US-based non-profit Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).

Almost all aid going into Gaza now runs through the American aid group, , which started operations in May following a monthslong Israeli blockade of nearly all food and aid. Food is handed out at overcrowded and deadly sites overseen by American private security contractors and the Israeli army.

Gazans have described the sites as "American death zones" because of the contractors who patrol them. The foundation has been shrouded in secrecy, with obscure sources of funding and several changes in leadership and management since its launch.

Gaza's health ministry said that Israeli forces opening fire on crowds trying to reach the GHF food distribution points have killed nearly 400 Palestinians and wounded more than 3,000 since aid deliveries were reinstated late last month.

Several videos from the sites show people cowering or running from gunfire, struggling to carry bags of food as they escape.

Despite the carnage, the Trump administration is said to be considering funding the organisation to the tune of $500m (£370m) through the recently downsized US Agency for International Development (USAID).