Disputed American-supported GHF Aid Organization Ends Humanitarian Work

Aid activities in the region
The GHF had paused its food distribution centers in Gaza following the truce came into force six weeks ago

The disputed, US and Israel-backed Gaza relief foundation says it is concluding its humanitarian work in the Palestinian territory, following nearly half a year.

The foundation had previously halted its multiple aid distribution centers in Gaza after the truce agreement between Hamas and Israel came into force recently.

The GHF aimed to circumvent United Nations channels as the main supplier of humanitarian assistance to Gazans.

United Nations organizations and other humanitarian groups would not collaborate with its methodology, saying it was questionable and hazardous.

Many residents were killed while attempting to obtain sustenance amid disorderly situations near the organization's distribution points, primarily from Israeli forces, based on UN documentation.

Israel said its soldiers fired warning shots.

Operation Conclusion

The foundation announced on recently that it was terminating work now because of the "successful completion of its crisis response", with a cumulative three million shipments containing the equivalent of more than 187 million meals distributed to Gazans.

The organization's top administrator, the executive director, further mentioned the American-directed Civil-Military Coordination Center - which has been created to help implement the American administration's Gaza initiative - would be "adopting and expanding the model GHF piloted".

"GHF's model, in which Hamas could no longer loot and profit from stealing aid, had major impact in convincing militant groups to participate and establishing a truce."

Comments and Positions

The militant group - which disputes allegations of misappropriation - supported the shutdown of the GHF, according to reports.

An official from declared GHF should be made responsible for the negative impact it created to Gazans.

"We urge all worldwide humanitarian bodies to guarantee that responsibility is assigned after causing the death and injury of thousands of Gazans and obscuring the nutritional restriction approach employed by the Israeli government."

Operational Background

The foundation started work in Gaza on late May, a week after Israel had partially eased a comprehensive closure on humanitarian and trade shipments to Gaza that continued for 77 days and resulted in critical deficits of vital resources.

Subsequently, a nutritional emergency was proclaimed in Gaza City.

The foundation's nourishment distribution centers in various parts of the Palestinian territory were managed by United States-based protection companies and located inside Israeli military zones.

Aid Organization Objections

United Nations agencies and their collaborators claimed the methodology breached the fundamental humanitarian principles of objectivity, fairness and autonomy, and that channelling desperate people into militarised zones was fundamentally dangerous.

The UN's human rights office said it recorded the fatalities of no fewer than 859 Gazans seeking food in the area surrounding organization centers between 26 May and 31 July.

Another 514 people were lost their lives close to the courses followed by international humanitarian deliveries, it further stated.

The greater part of these people were killed by the Israeli military, according to the office.

Conflicting Accounts

Israeli defense forces said its troops had released alerting fire at persons who advanced toward them in a "menacing" fashion.

The foundation stated there were no shooting events at the aid sites and accused the UN of using "false and misleading" figures from the Gazan medical department controlled by militant factions.

Future Implications

The GHF's future had been uncertain since Hamas and Israel agreed a halt in hostilities arrangement to implement the first phase of the United States' reconciliation proposal.

It said humanitarian assistance would take place "absent meddling from the involved factions through the UN organizations and their partners, and the international relief society, in combination with other international institutions not connected in any way" with militant groups and the Israeli government.

International organization official the international body's communicator said on Monday that the foundation's closure would have "zero effect" on its work "because we never worked with them".

The official further mentioned that while more aid was getting into Gaza since the truce was implemented on 10 October, it was "insufficient to meet all the needs" of the over two million inhabitants.

Elizabeth Richardson
Elizabeth Richardson

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