Two US Aid Workers Injured in Gaza While Distributing Food

Two American humanitarian workers were seriously wounded in Gaza this week while carrying out a mission to feed Palestinians caught in the worsening conflict. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which has been operating food distribution sites across the region, said militants attacked its team with grenades in Khan Younis, injuring two staff members. Thankfully, both were reported in stable condition.

The foundation described the incident as a tragic end to what had been a successful food distribution that reached thousands of families in desperate need. No local aid workers or civilians were harmed during the attack. In a statement posted on social media, the foundation placed blame on Hamas, the militant group fighting Israel in the Gaza Strip since it launched attacks last October.

“Today’s attack tragically affirms the warnings we have been issuing for weeks,” the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said. “Hamas has openly planned to target American personnel, Palestinian aid workers, and the civilians who rely on our sites for food.”

Despite the violence, the group emphasized that its mission will continue. The foundation began its operations on May 27, and leaders said they remain committed to providing food directly and at scale, even as threats persist.

“Attempts to disrupt this life-saving work will only deepen the crisis,” the foundation’s statement read. “We will continue to stand with the people of Gaza and do everything in our power to deliver the aid they so urgently need.”

Not everyone agrees with the foundation’s approach. More than 100 human rights organizations, including Oxfam, Save the Children, and Amnesty International, have raised concerns that distributing aid inside active combat zones is putting civilians at further risk. These groups say Palestinians are facing impossible choices, risking their lives to collect food or going hungry.

Israel has defended its tight restrictions on aid shipments, arguing the controls are necessary to prevent supplies from falling into the hands of Hamas fighters. Since the cease-fire ended in March, Israel has frozen deliveries of food, water, and medicine to Gaza’s 2.5 million residents. The United Nations has warned that one in five Gazans is now facing starvation.

In May, Israel allowed the foundation to resume aid operations, promising 300 million meals over 90 days. However, the continuing violence highlights how fragile and dangerous the effort has become.

The foundation’s executive director, Jake Wood, a decorated Marine Corps veteran and founder of Team Rubicon, pledged that the mission would not be derailed. “We know the risks, but we believe the people of Gaza deserve our help,” he said.

As the war drags on, the struggle to deliver aid safely has become as urgent as the food itself.