Chaos Erupts at Rafah Aid Center Amid Surging Crowds, Security Breach, and Diplomatic Tensions
by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – A newly opened humanitarian aid center in the Tel al-Sultan neighborhood of Rafah descended into chaos Tuesday, as massive crowds of Palestinians breached the compound, prompting an emergency evacuation by American aid workers and private security personnel.
The aid center, operated by the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), had distributed over 8,000 food parcels when it was overrun by hundreds of desperate residents. The breach followed earlier roadblocks reportedly erected by Hamas, which delayed access to the site. Amid the disorder, international workers withdrew under the cover of warning shots fired into the air, some allegedly by American private security contractors. The IDF denies any direct involvement in the gunfire.
“No IDF fire was opened at the aid center, and there were no casualties in the incident,” a military spokesperson said. “The situation is now under control.”
However, eyewitnesses and representatives from GHF confirmed that the perimeter fence was torn down and that remaining aid supplies were looted, including tables, chairs, and even personal belongings of aid staff. In one social media post, a Gazan man proudly displayed a pack of cigarettes he claimed to have grabbed during the chaos—cigarettes being virtually unavailable under the current blockade.
The breach at Rafah coincided with air raid sirens blaring across eastern West Bank and Gaza, though the IDF later clarified that Gaza sirens were false alarms. One rocket fired from Yemen was intercepted without alert activation, and no casualties were reported, according to Magen David Adom.
Back at the Rafah site, reports indicated that IDF troops were deployed to assist in securing the compound and evacuating U.S. personnel. According to Israel Hayom, American contractors maintained control long enough to prevent injuries and evacuate aid workers. Some supplies were reportedly reclaimed, but the center was left unsecured for a time as crowds poured through.
GHF officials stated the breach had been anticipated and that withdrawal protocols were followed to prevent harm. They added that operations will resume Wednesday and emphasized their commitment to orderly aid distribution. “We trained for this,” one representative said. “Our goal was always to protect lives first.”
The Tel al-Sultan site is one of two new aid centers opened Tuesday under a revamped model designed to prevent Hamas from diverting humanitarian supplies. These centers had faced delays due to logistical complications and Hamas-imposed checkpoints. Despite Tuesday’s upheaval, GHF said each parcel provided could sustain a family of five for three and a half days—totaling over 462,000 meals distributed before the breach.
Meanwhile, Arabic media reported that Egypt and Qatar are intensifying diplomatic efforts to stabilize the Gaza situation. Hamas is reportedly close to accepting U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff’s ceasefire proposal, though Egyptian sources caution the talks are at a “delicate stage” requiring precise agreement on political and technical clauses.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich described the day’s events as a “turning point in the war,” suggesting that Hamas’ inability to control the distribution centers reveals a shift in authority on the ground. Conversely, Hamas’ interior ministry accused Israel of using the aid centers as intelligence outposts and urged civilians not to jeopardize future humanitarian efforts.
While GHF plans to restart operations imminently, Tuesday’s chaos has underscored the fragility of aid distribution in wartime Gaza—and the explosive desperation among a population that, in many cases, hasn’t seen basic food items in months.
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