GHF says two aid distribution sites to be open Sunday afternoon, warns against showing up earlier

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation says it will open two aid distribution sites today after keeping its sites closed yesterday over what it said were threats from Hamas against its staff.

The two sites in south Gaza’s Rafah will not open until noon, though, as the GHF still struggles to fully get off the ground.

The announcement on GHF’s Arabic Facebook page warns Gazans against showing up to distribution sites before they open, saying they may not be able to serve those who violate the rule.

Sites have seen massive crowding since they launched on May 26, highlighting the desperate humanitarian situation in the Strip, whose residents have been forced to sometimes walk dozens of miles to pick up heavy boxes of food.

The mechanism has been criticized by the UN and aid groups, who say civilians in need should not be forced to walk through IDF lines to pick up food. GHF, in turn, has blasted the UN for refusing to cooperate with the only initiative Israel is allowing for aid distribution at scale.

The GHF announcement also says women interested in picking up aid should approach staff for assistance, as men, for the most part, have been the only ones who have been able to fight through the crowds in order to pick up boxes of food.