Disputed US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation Terminates Relief Activities

Aid activities in the region
The GHF had halted its food distribution centers in Gaza after the halt in hostilities took effect last month

The controversial, United States and Israel-funded GHF aid organization announces it is winding down its humanitarian work in the Palestinian territory, following nearly half a year.

The foundation had earlier paused its multiple aid distribution centers in Gaza subsequent to the truce agreement between Hamas and Israel took effect six weeks ago.

The foundation sought to avoid UN systems as the main supplier of aid to Gaza's population.

UN and other aid agencies declined to participate with its system, claiming it was unethical and unsafe.

Hundreds of Palestinians were killed while seeking food amid chaotic scenes near the organization's distribution points, mostly by Israeli fire, based on UN documentation.

The Israeli military claimed its troops fired warning shots.

Operation Conclusion

The organization declared on recently that it was concluding activities now because of the "satisfactory fulfillment of its emergency mission", with a cumulative three million shipments containing the corresponding to over 187 million food portions provided to residents.

The GHF's executive director, Jon Acree, further mentioned the US-led Civil-Military Coordination Centre (CMCC) - which has been established to help implement the American administration's Gaza initiative - would be "adopting and expanding the model GHF piloted".

"The foundation's approach, in which Hamas could no longer loot and profit from stealing aid, had major impact in convincing militant groups to participate and securing a halt in hostilities."

Feedback and Statements

The Palestinian faction - which refutes aid diversion claims - supported the shutdown of the GHF, according to reports.

A representative of declared GHF should be subject to scrutiny for the negative impact it created to local residents.

"We call upon all global human rights groups to guarantee that responsibility is assigned after causing the death and injury of numerous Palestinians and obscuring the nutritional restriction approach employed by the Israeli government."

Organization Timeline

The foundation started work in Gaza on 26 May, a week after Israel had partially eased a comprehensive closure on relief and commercial goods to Gaza that persisted for nearly three months and resulted in critical deficits of essential supplies.

Subsequently, a nutritional emergency was proclaimed in the Gaza metropolitan area.

The GHF's food distribution sites in various parts of the Palestinian territory were operated by US private security contractors and located inside regions under Israeli military authority.

Aid Organization Objections

International organizations and their affiliates claimed the system breached the core assistance standards of objectivity, fairness and autonomy, and that guiding distressed residents into militarised zones was inherently unsafe.

International human rights monitoring body reported it tracked the fatalities of no fewer than 859 Gazans trying to acquire sustenance in the proximity to foundation locations between 26 May and 31 July.

Another 514 people were killed near the paths taken by United Nations and additional relief shipments, it also mentioned.

Most of them were killed by the Israeli military, as per the organization's documentation.

Divergent Narratives

The Israeli military claimed its troops had released alerting fire at individuals who came near them in a "threatening" manner.

The foundation stated there were no shootings at the distribution centers and claimed the international organization of using "inaccurate and deceptive" figures from the Palestinian health authority administered by Hamas.

Subsequent Developments

The organization's continuation had been uncertain since Palestinian factions and Israeli authorities consented a halt in hostilities arrangement to carry out the initial stage of the United States' reconciliation proposal.

The arrangement specified humanitarian assistance would take place "free from intervention from the two parties through the international bodies and their affiliates, and the international relief society, in conjunction with other global organizations not connected in any way" with militant groups and the Israeli government.

International organization official Stephane Dujarric said on Monday that the foundation's closure would have "no impact" on its activities "since we never collaborated with them".

He also said that while increased relief was entering the region since the ceasefire took effect on early October, it was "inadequate to meet all the needs" of the 2.1 million population.

Joseph Huffman
Joseph Huffman

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