GENEVA, May 28 (Xinhua) -- At least 47 Palestinians were injured during an aid distribution operation carried out by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, most reportedly shot by Israeli forces, a UN official said on Wednesday.
Ajith Sunghay, head of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, told reporters in Geneva that chaos broke out as the GHF was distributing aid.
The GHF is a U.S. operation endorsed by Israel and designed to replace the UN-run humanitarian effort to deliver aid to Gazans.
"From the information we have, there are about 47 people who have been injured ... most of those injured are due to gunshots," Sunghay said, adding that the shooting was reportedly carried out by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
Sunghay noted that his office is still assessing the situation. "The numbers could go up. We are trying to confirm what has happened to them," he said.
According to the GHF, a humanitarian distribution plan proposed by Israel and supported by the United States is currently being implemented.
Under the plan, private entities are tasked with delivering aid to several so-called "safe distribution sites" in southern Gaza. UN agencies and long-standing humanitarian organizations operating in Palestine have been excluded from the process.
On Tuesday, Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), criticized the GHF approach, saying it is diverting attention from the real humanitarian needs, such as the reopening of border crossings to ensure aid access.
Sunghay echoed the concerns, saying, "We have raised numerous concerns with this mechanism."
"What we saw yesterday is a very clear example of the dangers of distributing food under the conditions established by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation," Sunghay added. ■
