🔗 Share this article

The controversial, US and Israel-backed Gaza relief foundation announces it is winding down its relief activities in the Palestinian territory, subsequent to approximately 180 days.

The group had already suspended its several relief locations in Gaza following the truce agreement between Hamas and Israel was implemented recently.

The organization attempted to avoid UN systems as the main supplier of humanitarian assistance to Gazans.

United Nations organizations and other humanitarian groups would not collaborate with its approach, saying it was improper and dangerous.

Many residents were killed while trying to acquire nourishment amid turbulent circumstances near the organization's distribution points, mainly through Israeli military action, according to the UN.

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 "effective conclusion of its humanitarian effort", with a total of three million packages containing the amounting to in excess of 187 million sustenance units distributed to Gazans.

The GHF's executive director, Jon Acree, further mentioned the United States-operated coordination body - which has been created to help implement the American administration's Gaza initiative - would be "adopting and expanding the approach the organization demonstrated".

"The organization's system, in which Palestinian factions were unable to divert and benefit from humanitarian assistance, played a huge role in convincing militant groups to participate and establishing a truce."

Comments and Positions

Hamas - which denies stealing aid - supported the shutdown of the aid organization, as indicated by media.

A representative of stated the organization should be subject to scrutiny for the damage it inflicted to local residents.

"We request all global human rights groups to guarantee that responsibility is assigned after leading to casualties and wounds of numerous Palestinians and obscuring the food deprivation strategy employed by the Israel's administration."

Operational Background

The GHF began operations in Gaza on May 26th, a short period subsequent to Israel had partially eased a complete restriction on aid and commercial deliveries to Gaza that persisted for nearly three months and caused severe shortages of essential supplies.

After 90 days, a famine was declared in the Palestinian urban center.

The GHF's food distribution sites in the southern and middle regions of Gaza were administered by American private security firms and located inside regions under Israeli military authority.

Relief Agency Issues

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

The UN's human rights office stated it documented the fatalities of no fewer than 859 Gazans trying to acquire sustenance in the vicinity of GHF sites between 26 May and 31 July.

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

Most of them were killed by the Israeli forces, based on the agency's reports.

Divergent Narratives

Israel's armed services stated its soldiers had fired warning shots at people who approached them in a "menacing" way.

The foundation stated there were no shootings at the relief locations and accused the UN of using "false and misleading" figures from the Palestinian health authority administered by Hamas.

Future Implications

The foundation's prospects had been indefinite since Palestinian factions and Israeli authorities consented a halt in hostilities arrangement to implement the primary segment of the United States' reconciliation proposal.

It said relief provision would take place "free from intervention from the both sides through the UN organizations and their partners, and the Red Crescent, in addition to other worldwide bodies not linked whatsoever" with militant groups and the Israeli government.

United Nations representative Stephane Dujarric stated recently that the GHF's shutdown would have "no impact" on its work "since we never collaborated with them".

The spokesperson additionally stated that while more aid was getting into Gaza since the truce was implemented on 10 October, it was "not enough to address all necessities" of the 2.1 million residents.