UN Critiques Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s Effectiveness Amid Ongoing Crisis
Concerns over aid distribution efficacy and operational transparency persist as humanitarian conditions deteriorate in Gaza.
GENEVA: The United Nations has expressed significant concerns regarding the efficacy of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an entity backed by the United States and Israel, describing its operations as failing to meet humanitarian standards.
Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN humanitarian agency OCHA, indicated that major aid organizations have refrained from collaborating with the GHF over apprehensions that it is aligned with Israeli military objectives.
Laerke stated, “GHF, I think it’s fair to say, has been, from a principled humanitarian standpoint, a failure.
They are not doing what a humanitarian operation should do, which is providing aid to people where they are, safely and securely.” He noted that the UN has aid ready to deploy, including food and other supplies, which are pre-approved by Israeli authorities, contingent on the borders being open and the safety required for distribution within Gaza.
Since operations commenced on May 26, following a complete Israeli blockade on supplies entering Gaza for over two months, the GHF has reported that it distributed approximately 2.6 million meals on Thursday alone, aggregating to more than 18.6 million since its inception.
However, the Palestinian Authority noted that internet and fixed-line communication services were interrupted on Thursday due to an attack on Gaza’s last functioning fiber optic cable, attributed to Israeli actions, leading to what Laerke described as a significant communications blackout.
He expressed that the lack of communication adversely affects aid operations and that efforts are ongoing to restore connectivity.
The distribution of essential goods amid ongoing hostilities in Gaza has become increasingly dangerous, exacerbating a severe hunger crisis.
The GHF reported an attack on one of its buses transporting staff to a distribution site, claiming it was assaulted by Hamas around 10 p.m. on Wednesday.
In contrast, Israeli officials accused Hamas of manipulating civilian suffering and alleged the Palestinian group had killed aid workers.
The Hamas media office responded by labeling the GHF a “filthy tool” of Israeli forces, accusing it of drawing civilians into perilous situations.
Reports from Gaza’s civil defense agency indicated that numerous Palestinians, including 21 individuals on Thursday alone, have died while seeking aid since the GHF’s operations began, amidst broader violence that reportedly left 29 people dead across the region.
In response to inquiries regarding a specific incident near an aid distribution site in central Gaza, the Israeli military asserted that it had fired warning shots far from the site prior to its operational hours.
Gazan medical personnel reported that hospitals have been overwhelmed with casualties stemming from incidents related to aid distribution, particularly at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.
On a recent day, the emergency department received dozens of patients who were either killed or injured while awaiting assistance.
Ongoing conflict has severely damaged Gaza's infrastructure, affecting water systems, telecommunications, electrical grids, and roadways, compounding the humanitarian crisis faced by the territory's population.
Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN humanitarian agency OCHA, indicated that major aid organizations have refrained from collaborating with the GHF over apprehensions that it is aligned with Israeli military objectives.
Laerke stated, “GHF, I think it’s fair to say, has been, from a principled humanitarian standpoint, a failure.
They are not doing what a humanitarian operation should do, which is providing aid to people where they are, safely and securely.” He noted that the UN has aid ready to deploy, including food and other supplies, which are pre-approved by Israeli authorities, contingent on the borders being open and the safety required for distribution within Gaza.
Since operations commenced on May 26, following a complete Israeli blockade on supplies entering Gaza for over two months, the GHF has reported that it distributed approximately 2.6 million meals on Thursday alone, aggregating to more than 18.6 million since its inception.
However, the Palestinian Authority noted that internet and fixed-line communication services were interrupted on Thursday due to an attack on Gaza’s last functioning fiber optic cable, attributed to Israeli actions, leading to what Laerke described as a significant communications blackout.
He expressed that the lack of communication adversely affects aid operations and that efforts are ongoing to restore connectivity.
The distribution of essential goods amid ongoing hostilities in Gaza has become increasingly dangerous, exacerbating a severe hunger crisis.
The GHF reported an attack on one of its buses transporting staff to a distribution site, claiming it was assaulted by Hamas around 10 p.m. on Wednesday.
In contrast, Israeli officials accused Hamas of manipulating civilian suffering and alleged the Palestinian group had killed aid workers.
The Hamas media office responded by labeling the GHF a “filthy tool” of Israeli forces, accusing it of drawing civilians into perilous situations.
Reports from Gaza’s civil defense agency indicated that numerous Palestinians, including 21 individuals on Thursday alone, have died while seeking aid since the GHF’s operations began, amidst broader violence that reportedly left 29 people dead across the region.
In response to inquiries regarding a specific incident near an aid distribution site in central Gaza, the Israeli military asserted that it had fired warning shots far from the site prior to its operational hours.
Gazan medical personnel reported that hospitals have been overwhelmed with casualties stemming from incidents related to aid distribution, particularly at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.
On a recent day, the emergency department received dozens of patients who were either killed or injured while awaiting assistance.
Ongoing conflict has severely damaged Gaza's infrastructure, affecting water systems, telecommunications, electrical grids, and roadways, compounding the humanitarian crisis faced by the territory's population.
