Israel, US push new Gaza aid distribution system, UN raises alarm

The Trump administration and the Israeli government are developing a plan to resume humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza and end a two-month blockade on food and fuel, according to the US State Department. 

The proposal, which involves the creation of centralised distribution zones, has faced sharp criticism from humanitarian organisations, Caliber.Az reports via The New York Times.

According to Israeli officials and a UN diplomat, the plan would establish a few large aid hubs, each serving hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. Israeli troops would remain outside the aid zones while a private group, the newly formed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, would oversee food distribution.

Officials say the plan is aimed at preventing Hamas from intercepting aid, thereby weakening its influence. However, the United Nations and several aid agencies have raised significant concerns. A UN briefing paper warned that the reduction from 400 current aid sites to a handful would force vulnerable civilians to walk long distances, limiting access to essential supplies.

Critics also fear the aid hubs—likely to be located in southern Gaza—could lead to the forced displacement of civilians from northern areas and increase the risk of detention by Israeli forces. Aid groups have further warned of rising threats from looters as people transport food over long distances.

Tania Hary, executive director of the Israeli rights group Gisha, said the plan "does not look like a plan for aid distribution so much as a tool for further pressure, to ensure that life is unlivable in Gaza."

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is worsening, with aid agencies such as the World Food Program and UNRWA reporting depleted food stocks. The ongoing fuel blockade has shuttered bakeries and disrupted food deliveries, causing flour prices to rise 60-fold and canned food costs to multiply tenfold since February.

Despite Israeli claims that enough supplies remain in Gaza, looting has become widespread and aid workers warn that famine risks are escalating without a full lifting of the blockade.

By Sabina Mammadli