🔗 Share this article

The controversial, American and Israeli-supported Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) announces it is terminating its relief activities in the affected area, after almost six months.

The foundation had previously halted its several relief locations in Gaza after the halt in hostilities between Palestinian factions and Israel came into force in recent weeks.

The GHF aimed to circumvent United Nations channels as the main supplier of aid to Gaza's population.

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

Numerous Gazans were killed while trying to acquire nourishment amid chaotic scenes near the organization's distribution points, primarily from Israeli forces, as reported by United Nations.

The Israeli military claimed its troops fired alerting fire.

Operation Conclusion

The foundation announced on Monday that it was terminating work now because of the "satisfactory fulfillment of its crisis response", with a cumulative three million shipments containing the corresponding to over 187 million food portions provided to residents.

The foundation's chief officer, the executive director, additionally stated the American-directed Civil-Military Coordination Center - which has been established to help carry out the United States' Palestinian peace proposal - would be "implementing and enlarging the approach the organization demonstrated".

"The organization's system, in which Palestinian factions were unable to divert and benefit from humanitarian assistance, was significantly influential in bringing Palestinian factions to negotiations and securing a halt in hostilities."

Comments and Positions

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

A representative of said the organization should be held accountable for the damage it inflicted to Palestinians.

"We call upon all worldwide humanitarian bodies to make certain that consequences are faced after leading to casualties and wounds of numerous Palestinians and covering up the starvation policy implemented by the Israeli authorities."

Operational Background

The organization commenced activities in Gaza on 26 May, a seven days following Israeli authorities had somewhat relaxed a total blockade on relief and commercial goods to Gaza that persisted for nearly three months and caused severe shortages of necessary provisions.

After 90 days, a famine was declared in Gaza City.

The GHF's food distribution sites in the southern and middle regions of Gaza were managed by US private security contractors and positioned in areas controlled by Israeli forces.

Humanitarian Concerns

International organizations and their affiliates stated the system violated the basic relief guidelines of non-partisanship, even-handedness and self-determination, and that directing needy individuals into militarised zones was fundamentally dangerous.

The UN's human rights office stated it documented the deaths of a minimum of 859 residents trying to acquire sustenance in the area surrounding organization centers between late May through end of July.

An additional 514 individuals were killed near the paths taken by United Nations and additional relief shipments, it further stated.

The majority of these individuals were lost their lives due to the Israeli military, based on the agency's reports.

Conflicting Accounts

Israel's armed services stated its soldiers had released alerting fire at people who approached them in a "threatening" manner.

The foundation stated there were no shootings at the distribution centers and alleged that United Nations of using "untrue and confusing" statistics from the Palestinian health authority administered by Hamas.

Ongoing Situation

The organization's continuation had been indefinite since Palestinian factions and Israeli authorities consented a halt in hostilities arrangement to execute the initial stage of Trump's peace plan.

It said aid distribution would take place "without interference from the involved factions through the UN organizations and their partners, and the international relief society, in conjunction with other global organizations not linked whatsoever" with Palestinian factions and Israeli authorities.

UN spokesperson the UN spokesman declared this week that the foundation's closure would have "no influence" on its activities "as we never partnered with them".

The spokesperson additionally stated that while increased relief was entering the region since the halt in hostilities began on 10 October, it was "not enough to satisfy all requirements" of the 2.1 million residents.