Divisive humanitarian aid distributor to officially seize operations in Gaza

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) will formally end its operations in the besieged territory after halting its work in Gaza last month at the start of the ceasefire period.

The announcement was made by the director of the organization, which has drawn a contentious reputation during its time operating in the Gaza Strip, according to an article by CNN.

“We are winding down our operations as we have succeeded in our mission of showing there’s a better way to deliver aid to Gazans,” John Acree, the GHF’s executive director, said in a statement.

The US- and Israeli-supported foundation ran multiple sites in southern Gaza and one site in central Gaza, where it began providing humanitarian assistance in late May. But the distribution quickly became disorderly, as desperate Palestinians surged into the fenced areas in an effort to grab the limited food that was available.

According to figures by the United Nations cited in the article, more than 2,100 Palestinians were killed while seeking aid, including many who were near or heading to GHF sites.

The GHF had intentions to expand to additional sites across the territory, but those plans never materialized as the foundation suspended operations at the start of the ceasefire in mid-October. The US and the international community returned to the United Nations as the main channel for delivering humanitarian assistance.

The organization was initially created to take over the UN’s role in Gaza while meeting Israel’s requirements that the aid not reach Hamas, which Tel Aviv accused of diverting supplies to sell to the population or repurpose for military use.

The UN declined to take part in the GHF’s operations due to concerns over a lack of independence from the US and Israel and the increased risks to Palestinians.

The article notes that GHF distribution points in southern and central Gaza were far fewer than the hundreds operated under the UN’s previous model, forcing large crowds of starving Palestinians to converge at limited locations.

An American Department of State spokesperson reacted to the closure, saying that the “GHF’s model, in which Hamas could no longer loot and profit from stealing aid, played a huge role in getting Hamas to the table and achieving a ceasefire.”

By Nazrin Sadigova