WOMEN-ONLY AID DISTRIBUTION IN GAZA ENDS IN TRAGEDY

July 26, 2025

A humanitarian effort meant to provide safe access to food for women in Gaza turned deadly this week, as two women were killed while attempting to collect aid for their families.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) had announced a special distribution day exclusively for women, hoping to reduce the chaos and violence that has plagued aid deliveries in recent months. But instead of safety, the event became another grim chapter in the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Mary Sheikh al-Eid, a mother of seven whose husband had already been killed in the war, went to the distribution site with her sister, Khawla. The family had been surviving on little more than lentil soup for weeks, and Mary saw the women-only day as a rare opportunity to secure food without the usual dangers.

But when they arrived, the scene was already descending into chaos. Witnesses described security forces using pepper spray and stun grenades to push back the desperate crowd. In the confusion, the sisters were separated.

Khawla later received a devastating phone call—Mary had been shot. By the time she reached the hospital, her sister was dead.

Another woman, Khadija Abu Anza, was also killed that day. Her sister, Samah, recounted how Israeli troops fired warning shots before a bullet struck Khadija in the neck, killing her instantly.

Since the GHF aid system was introduced in May, over 1,000 Palestinians have reportedly been killed while trying to access food, according to UN estimates. Critics argue the system funnels civilians into dangerous military-controlled zones, increasing the risk of violence.

Israel maintains that its forces only fire warning shots when they perceive a threat and accuses Hamas of exploiting aid distribution points to create chaos. The GHF, meanwhile, called the women-only day a “success,” despite the deaths, and defended its efforts to improve safety.

But for families like Mary’s, the system has only brought more suffering. “She went to get food for her children,” Khawla said, “but she returned carried as a body.”

As malnutrition spreads and aid remains scarce, international pressure grows for a more effective and humane response to Gaza’s deepening crisis.

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