Desperate and Hungry Palestinians Recall Deadly Shooting Near Gaza Aid Site

Hungry and desperate, they raced to secure just one box of food. After nearly three months without any aid entering Gaza, Palestinians had learned that an Israeli-backed aid site would open in Rafah.

Israel promised an orderly system that would improve on the United Nations’ efforts to distribute much-needed food to Gazans. Almost from the beginning, things went horribly wrong.

On Saturday night, Mohammed Abdulal, 30, traveled 18 miles and joined thousands of people aggressively pushing their way forward, trying to reach the aid site. Israeli forces formed a wide perimeter around the site, which was overseen by U.S. private security contractors.

Suddenly, he heard a hail of gunfire, forcing people to flee in every direction, their terrified screams filling the night sky. A bullet ripped through Mr. Abdulal’s face, leaving him writhing in pain.

“I only took two steps before I felt a bullet tear into my right cheek and neck,” he said. “I started shouting: ‘People, I’m wounded. Help me.’”

The rollout of the new aid effort over the past week by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an effort conceived in Israel and endorsed by the United States, was supposed to help Palestinians get aid while keeping it out of the hands of Hamas.