Call by over 170 charities for the scrapping of lethal new Gaza aid distribution scheme
In a joint declaration, humanitarian organisations, including Oxfam, Doctors Without Borders, Save the Children, the Norwegian Refugee Council, and Amnesty International, have urged countries to press Israel to halt the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) scheme and reinstate aid coordinated through the United Nations.
The GHF, backed by the United States, has come under scrutiny for its private U.S. security and logistics companies distributing aid in Gaza. Critics argue that this scheme has led to numerous safety concerns and humanitarian impacts.
Since late May, more than 500 Palestinians have been killed in mass shootings near aid distribution centres or transport routes in Gaza. The reduction from over 400 aid points to just four military-controlled sites has forced two million Palestinians into overcrowded, heavily militarized zones where they face daily risks of gunfire and casualties while trying to obtain food.
Reports suggest that Israeli soldiers have received orders to open fire on unarmed people who approached aid centres at times other than scheduled distribution, creating confusion and deadly bottlenecks. This setup does not meet basic humanitarian needs or protect civilians.
Furthermore, the ongoing Israeli blockade on aid and commercial supplies has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis, with medical supplies, food, and fuel remaining critically insufficient. The blockade and the militarized distribution system are seen as deliberate policies causing a cycle of desperation and violence rather than a genuine humanitarian response.
In addition, there are concerns about public health and the social impact of the aid distribution scheme, with disturbing reports of narcotic pills found inside food aid bags distributed in Gaza.
The United Nations has deemed the GHF's plan "inherently unsafe" and a violation of humanitarian impartiality rules. The GHF, however, invites other humanitarian groups to join them in feeding the people of Gaza.
Israel has acknowledged that Palestinian civilians have been harmed at aid distribution centres in the Gaza Strip and has issued new instructions for its forces following incidents at these sites. Yet, the Israeli military continues to operate near the centres to prevent the aid from falling into the hands of Hamas.
The joint declaration calls for an end to the GHF's distribution scheme, the restoration of UN-led humanitarian coordination, and the lifting of the blockade to protect civilians and uphold humanitarian principles. As of early afternoon in Geneva on Tuesday, 171 charities had signed the joint declaration. France has offered to help make Gaza food distribution safer, but no new facts were presented about the United Nations, the joint declaration, or France's offer to help make Gaza food distribution safer.
- The ongoing GHF scheme, backed by the United States, has been criticized for its involvement of private U.S. security and logistics companies in distributing aid, leading to numerous safety concerns and humanitarian impacts, especially in the context of war-and-conflicts, politics, and general-news, such as the violent incidents at aid distribution centers in Gaza.
- The joint declaration by humanitarian organizations calls for the halting of the GHF scheme and the reinstatement of aid coordination through the United Nations, as the current setup not only fails to meet basic humanitarian needs and protect civilians but also poses risks, including crime-and-justice issues like the unnerving reports of narcotic pills found inside food aid bags in Gaza.
