The United Nations has described as distressing and painful the storming of an aid distribution center in Gaza by thousands of Palestinians and the gunfire by Israeli forces during the distribution process.

Meanwhile, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, funded by the U.S. and Israel, has announced that it has distributed nearly 8,000 food packages among Palestinians.

UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said: “To be honest, these images are heartbreaking. As the UN Secretary-General mentioned last week, we and our partners have a clear, principled, and practical plan—supported by member states—to deliver aid to those in need.”

A man with bloodied feet, a mother clutching her child, and many others with empty hands and despair fled the scene of the attack.

Yasmin Matar, a resident of Gaza, said: “We’re bringing food for our children. Have compassion for us. We need someone to pay attention to us and the catastrophe we’re living through. It doesn’t matter if it’s shelling or shooting—we just need food for our children.”

This comes as many international organizations, including the United Nations, have expressed concern over the method of aid distribution in Gaza. They emphasize that aid must be delivered without military interference, based on the principles of neutrality, and carried out by specialized humanitarian agencies.