Controversial US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation Ends Relief Activities
The controversial, American and Israeli-supported Gaza relief foundation says it is concluding its humanitarian work in the Palestinian territory, after almost six months.
The foundation had previously halted its three food distribution sites in Gaza after the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel took effect recently.
The GHF aimed to bypass the UN as the chief distributor of aid to Gaza's population.
United Nations organizations and other humanitarian groups would not collaborate with its system, claiming it was improper and dangerous.
Many residents were lost their lives while seeking food amid chaotic scenes near the foundation's locations, primarily from Israeli forces, based on UN documentation.
Israeli authorities stated its soldiers fired warning shots.
Program Termination
The organization declared on Monday that it was terminating work now because of the "successful completion of its emergency mission", with a cumulative three million shipments containing the amounting to in excess of 187 million sustenance units distributed to Gazans.
The foundation's chief officer, Jon Acree, additionally stated the United States-operated coordination body - which has been created to help execute US President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan - would be "implementing and enlarging the approach the organization demonstrated".
"The organization's system, in which Hamas could no longer loot and profit from stealing aid, had major impact in convincing militant groups to participate and achieving a ceasefire."
Reactions and Responses
The militant group - which disputes allegations of misappropriation - welcomed the closure of the GHF, as indicated by media.
A spokesman for declared the foundation should be subject to scrutiny for the damage it inflicted to Palestinians.
"We call upon all global human rights groups to ensure that it does not escape accountability after resulting in fatalities and harm of numerous Palestinians and concealing the nutritional restriction approach employed by the Israel's administration."
Foundation History
The foundation started work in Gaza on late May, a seven days following Israeli authorities had somewhat relaxed a comprehensive closure on relief and commercial goods to Gaza that continued for 77 days and led to substantial deficiencies of essential supplies.
Three months later, a famine was declared in the Gaza metropolitan area.
The foundation's nourishment distribution centers in southern and central Gaza were administered by US private security contractors and positioned in regions under Israeli military authority.
Relief Agency Issues
The UN and its partners said the approach violated the fundamental humanitarian principles of neutrality, impartiality and independence, and that directing needy individuals into militarised zones was fundamentally dangerous.
The UN's human rights office said it recorded the fatalities of no fewer than 859 Gazans attempting to obtain nourishment in the area surrounding organization centers between spring and summer months.
An additional 514 individuals were killed near the paths taken by United Nations and additional relief shipments, it also mentioned.
The majority of these individuals were killed by the Israeli forces, as per the organization's documentation.
Contrasting Reports
Israel's armed services said its troops had discharged cautionary rounds at individuals who came near them in a "intimidating" fashion.
The GHF said there were no firearm incidents at the relief locations and claimed the international organization of using "false and misleading" statistics from the Gazan medical department controlled by militant factions.
Future Implications
The organization's continuation had been unclear since militant groups and the Israeli government approved a truce agreement to execute the primary segment of the United States' reconciliation proposal.
It said relief provision would take place "absent meddling from the two parties through the UN organizations and their partners, and the Red Crescent, in conjunction with other worldwide bodies not connected in any way" with Palestinian factions and Israeli authorities.
UN spokesperson the international body's communicator said on Monday 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 halt in hostilities began on 10 October, it was "not enough to satisfy all requirements" of the 2.1 million population.