Anthony Aguilar, a former employee of the US-Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) and retired US Army Colonel, likened the aid distribution in Gaza to the dystopian novel The Hunger Games.
US Independent Senator Bernie Sanders shared a video on his social media account where Aguilar evaluates the aid efforts in Gaza.
In the video, Aguilar said, "The best way to explain how Palestinians reach the aid distribution points is The Hunger Games: the strongest survive, and those who run fastest and farthest get the aid."
He described how Palestinians seeking aid were fired upon, subjected to tear gas and pepper spray, and hit with plastic bullets. "This isn't a one-time occurrence. It happens every day, at every distribution," he said.
Aguilar recounted Israeli soldiers celebrating with cheers of "woohoo" when Palestinians trying to get aid were shot, sharing footage of these moments.
He emphasized that his account was not exaggeration or Hamas propaganda, stating, "Starving Palestinians often had to walk 8 to 12 kilometers — mostly barefoot — through an active war zone just to reach aid centers."
US OFFICIALS IGNORED HIS SOLUTIONS
Aguilar also pointed out the hunger crisis affecting children in Gaza, saying, "Once, I saw a Palestinian man, and another time a Palestinian woman, carrying their dead children. These children were not shot, nor did they die of disease. They died from hunger. I saw it with my own eyes."
He stated that he repeatedly witnessed "indiscriminate firing and misuse of force" in Gaza and brought proposals for solutions to his superiors, but "they ignored them every time."
Addressing the American public in the video, Aguilar highlighted US aid to Israel, saying, "All this is happening with your (US citizens') tax money."
HUNGER IN GAZA
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, the number of Palestinians who have died from malnutrition and hunger since attacks began on October 7, 2023, has risen to at least 160, including 91 children.
Local sources report that Israel has kept border crossings closed for over five months, blocking entry of baby formula, medicines, and basic food supplies.
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) stated on July 29 that one in three people in Gaza had not eaten for days, warning that the region is experiencing the "worst-case scenario" of famine.
