Aya Batraoui

Yeah, there are these two fenced-in areas that were created for people to walk to several miles and pick up parcels of food. And so this comes after nearly three months of total blockade by Israel with no food entering the territory and experts saying hundreds of thousands of people are now facing starvation. So what happened on the first day of this new distribution system backed by the U.S.,

is that thousands of hungry people overran one of these fenced-in areas where American contractors were standing guard to distribute boxes of food. Witnesses say the contractors fled, and the crowds just took everything they could, even scrap metal. The contractors in a statement say they fell back, according to protocol.

is that thousands of hungry people overran one of these fenced-in areas where American contractors were standing guard to distribute boxes of food. Witnesses say the contractors fled, and the crowds just took everything they could, even scrap metal. The contractors in a statement say they fell back, according to protocol.

is that thousands of hungry people overran one of these fenced-in areas where American contractors were standing guard to distribute boxes of food. Witnesses say the contractors fled, and the crowds just took everything they could, even scrap metal. The contractors in a statement say they fell back, according to protocol.

Witnesses say an Israeli helicopter then opened fire in the area, dispersing the crowd. Israel says its troops fired warning shots. Hospital officials tell NPR nearly 50 people were wounded and three were killed as a result of the gunfire.

Witnesses say an Israeli helicopter then opened fire in the area, dispersing the crowd. Israel says its troops fired warning shots. Hospital officials tell NPR nearly 50 people were wounded and three were killed as a result of the gunfire.

Witnesses say an Israeli helicopter then opened fire in the area, dispersing the crowd. Israel says its troops fired warning shots. Hospital officials tell NPR nearly 50 people were wounded and three were killed as a result of the gunfire.

Well, in a statement, Hamas says this incident reflects Israel's failure to manage the humanitarian crisis that it deliberately created. Israel says its aim is to keep aid from Hamas. But we spoke to witnesses on the ground who were at this scene who said there was no screening at all. Anyone could just take the boxes of food.

Well, in a statement, Hamas says this incident reflects Israel's failure to manage the humanitarian crisis that it deliberately created. Israel says its aim is to keep aid from Hamas. But we spoke to witnesses on the ground who were at this scene who said there was no screening at all. Anyone could just take the boxes of food.

Well, in a statement, Hamas says this incident reflects Israel's failure to manage the humanitarian crisis that it deliberately created. Israel says its aim is to keep aid from Hamas. But we spoke to witnesses on the ground who were at this scene who said there was no screening at all. Anyone could just take the boxes of food.

Abu Mahmoud Abaza, who was at the site to get food, told NPR about the scene, and he says it was chaotic. He says there was no distribution system. It was chaos. He says nobody asked for IDs or anything. He says people are hungry and there has to be a better way to get food.

Abu Mahmoud Abaza, who was at the site to get food, told NPR about the scene, and he says it was chaotic. He says there was no distribution system. It was chaos. He says nobody asked for IDs or anything. He says people are hungry and there has to be a better way to get food.

Abu Mahmoud Abaza, who was at the site to get food, told NPR about the scene, and he says it was chaotic. He says there was no distribution system. It was chaos. He says nobody asked for IDs or anything. He says people are hungry and there has to be a better way to get food.

So again, unlike how the UN distributes food or used to distribute food in centers across Gaza with IDs and lists of families in need, the system had none of that. There were no screenings or lists and no clarity on who decides who gets the aid and who doesn't.

So again, unlike how the UN distributes food or used to distribute food in centers across Gaza with IDs and lists of families in need, the system had none of that. There were no screenings or lists and no clarity on who decides who gets the aid and who doesn't.

So again, unlike how the UN distributes food or used to distribute food in centers across Gaza with IDs and lists of families in need, the system had none of that. There were no screenings or lists and no clarity on who decides who gets the aid and who doesn't.

Well, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the system. He says it's working.

Well, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the system. He says it's working.

Well, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the system. He says it's working.

But one thing to note, too, Michelle, is that he says the aim is not just to keep aid from Hamas, but to push the entire population south. And Israel says from there, people can be relocated out of Gaza.