🔗 Share this article

The disputed, US and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) announces it is concluding its humanitarian work in the affected area, after almost six months.

The organisation had earlier paused its multiple aid distribution centers in Gaza following the halt in hostilities between Palestinian factions and Israel took effect recently.

The foundation sought to avoid UN systems as the primary provider of humanitarian assistance to Gazans.

United Nations organizations and other humanitarian groups would not collaborate with its approach, stating it was unethical and unsafe.

Hundreds of Palestinians were lost their lives while attempting to obtain sustenance amid disorderly situations near the organization's distribution points, primarily from Israeli forces, as reported by United Nations.

Israeli authorities stated its troops fired cautionary rounds.

Program Termination

The foundation announced on recently that it was winding down operations now because of the "satisfactory fulfillment of its crisis response", with a total of three million packages containing the corresponding to over 187 million food portions distributed to Gazans.

The organization's top administrator, the executive director, additionally stated the American-directed Civil-Military Coordination Center - which has been created to help execute the United States' Palestinian peace proposal - would be "taking over and developing the approach the organization demonstrated".

"The foundation's approach, in which Palestinian factions were unable to divert and benefit from humanitarian assistance, had major impact in convincing militant groups to participate and achieving a ceasefire."

Comments and Positions

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

An official from said GHF should be held accountable for the harm it caused to Palestinians.

"We urge all worldwide humanitarian bodies to make certain that consequences are faced after resulting in fatalities and harm of many residents and concealing the food deprivation strategy implemented by the Israeli government."

Organization Timeline

The foundation started work in Gaza on late May, a short period subsequent to Israel had partially eased a total blockade on aid and commercial deliveries to Gaza that persisted for nearly three months and led to substantial deficiencies of essential supplies.

Subsequently, a famine was declared in Gaza City.

The GHF's food distribution sites in various parts of the Palestinian territory were operated by United States-based protection companies and positioned in regions under Israeli military authority.

Humanitarian Concerns

The UN and its partners said the approach breached the basic relief guidelines of neutrality, impartiality and independence, and that channelling desperate people into military-controlled areas was intrinsically hazardous.

International human rights monitoring body stated it documented the fatalities of no fewer than 859 Gazans trying to acquire sustenance in the area surrounding organization centers between spring and summer months.

A further 514 persons were killed near the routes of UN and other aid convoys, it further stated.

The majority of these individuals were fatally wounded by the Israel's armed forces, as per the organization's documentation.

Conflicting Accounts

The Israeli military stated its troops had discharged cautionary rounds at people who approached them in a "threatening" way.

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

Future Implications

The organization's continuation had been uncertain since Palestinian factions and Israeli authorities consented a truce agreement to execute the first phase of the American administration's peace initiative.

It said relief provision would take place "absent meddling from the two parties through the international bodies and their affiliates, and the Red Crescent, in combination with other global organizations not associated in any manner" with Hamas and Israel.

United Nations representative the international body's communicator said on Monday that the foundation's closure would have "zero effect" on its operations "since we never collaborated with them".

The official further mentioned that while more aid was getting into Gaza since the truce was implemented on October 10th, it was "inadequate to address all necessities" of the 2.1 million residents.