Controversial American-supported Gaza Humanitarian Foundation Ends Aid Operations

Relief activities in the Palestinian territory
The GHF had paused its relief locations in Gaza following the halt in hostilities came into force last month

The controversial, US and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) says it is terminating its relief activities in the Palestinian territory, following nearly half a year.

The group had earlier paused its multiple aid distribution centers in Gaza following the halt in hostilities between Palestinian factions and Israel came into force recently.

The organization attempted to circumvent United Nations channels as the main supplier of humanitarian assistance to Gazans.

UN and other aid agencies refused to co-operate with its approach, stating it was improper and dangerous.

Hundreds of Palestinians were lost their lives while seeking food amid turbulent circumstances near the organization's distribution points, primarily from Israeli forces, based on UN documentation.

Israeli authorities stated its soldiers fired cautionary rounds.

Operation Conclusion

The organization declared on Monday that it was concluding activities now because of the "successful completion of its crisis response", with a total of three million packages containing the corresponding to over 187 million food portions distributed to Gazans.

The GHF's executive director, Jon Acree, also said the United States-operated coordination body - which has been set up to help execute the American administration's Gaza initiative - would be "adopting and expanding the model GHF piloted".

"GHF's model, in which militant groups were prevented from misappropriating relief supplies, was significantly influential in getting Hamas to the table and establishing a truce."

Feedback and Statements

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

A representative of said GHF should be made responsible for the damage it inflicted to local residents.

"We call upon all global human rights groups to ensure that it does not escape accountability after resulting in fatalities and harm of thousands of Gazans and obscuring the nutritional restriction approach employed by the Israeli authorities."

Organization Timeline

The GHF began operations in Gaza on 26 May, a week after Israeli authorities had somewhat relaxed a comprehensive closure on relief and commercial goods to Gaza that continued for 77 days and caused severe shortages of necessary provisions.

Three months later, a nutritional emergency was proclaimed in the Gaza metropolitan area.

The GHF's food distribution sites in southern and central Gaza were operated by US private security contractors and positioned in areas controlled by Israeli forces.

Aid Organization Objections

International organizations and their affiliates stated the approach contravened the core assistance standards of neutrality, impartiality and independence, and that guiding distressed residents into armed forces regions was inherently unsafe.

The UN's human rights office said it recorded the killing of at least 859 Palestinians trying to acquire sustenance in the vicinity of GHF sites between late May through end of July.

An additional 514 individuals were fatally wounded around the paths taken by United Nations and additional relief shipments, it added.

The greater part of these people were fatally wounded by the Israel's armed forces, based on the agency's reports.

Divergent Narratives

Israel's armed services stated its soldiers had discharged cautionary rounds at individuals who came near them in a "menacing" fashion.

The GHF said there were no shootings at the distribution centers and accused the UN of using "untrue and confusing" figures from the Palestinian health authority administered by Hamas.

Ongoing Situation

The GHF's future had been unclear since militant groups and the Israeli government approved a truce agreement to implement the primary segment of the United States' reconciliation proposal.

The agreement stated aid distribution would take place "free from intervention from the both sides through the international bodies and their affiliates, and the international relief society, in conjunction with other global organizations not connected in any way" with Palestinian factions and Israeli authorities.

UN spokesperson the UN spokesman said on Monday that the GHF's shutdown would have "zero effect" on its work "since we never collaborated with them".

The official further mentioned that while more aid was getting into Gaza since the halt in hostilities began on early October, it was "inadequate to meet all the needs" of the 2.1 million population.

Kyle Richard
Kyle Richard

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