Conflict in Israel-Palestine escalates as GoFundMe faces accusations of limiting and freezing millions of dollars intended for Palestinian aid fundraisers.
In the midst of a catastrophic crisis and ongoing famine in Gaza, advocacy groups are accusing GoFundMe of systematically blocking and restricting Palestinian fundraisers, effectively withholding millions of dollars intended for humanitarian aid [1][3][4].
Critics, including civil society organizations and Palestinian digital rights groups like 7amleh, argue that GoFundMe’s actions disproportionately target Palestinian fundraisers with heavy-handed moderation, indefinite pauses, refunds without consent, and demands for exhaustive documentation that often go ignored or dismissed. This has severely hindered grassroots aid efforts and deprived starving families of urgently needed funds, which some describe as discriminatory and deadly given the context of ongoing military conflict and blockade [1][4].
One of the most prominent cases is that of Hala Sabbah, co-founder of The Sameer Project, who had over $250,000 of donations refunded in September [2]. The Sameer Project, which had raised over $1m through GoFundMe, was funding healthcare, essentials, food, water, shelter, and clothing for people in Gaza [5]. However, GoFundMe’s compliance team claimed that the documentation provided by The Sameer Project was not "accurate, complete or clear" [3].
Similarly, Mostafa had nearly $5,000 withheld from his GoFundMe page [1]. The brothers Yahya and Mostafa, who had raised more than $12,000 for their families on GoFundMe, had their page closed after being asked to provide photo ID, location, and explain changes in their page description and fund usage [6].
GoFundMe, however, has responded by stating that its approach to Gaza is consistent with how it handles all global crises subject to U.S. government sanctions and restrictions on money flows, particularly following sanctions implemented after the October 7th attacks linked to Hamas officials [3]. The company emphasizes compliance with legal requirements, describing the delays and blockages as part of a complex regulatory environment rather than discriminatory intent.
However, critics claim that campaigns fundraising for Israel appear to be able to avoid similar interventions from GoFundMe’s compliance team [7]. For instance, a page raising money for gun sights and other equipment to "safeguard" the Kishorit kibbutz in Israel appeared to breach GoFundMe’s terms of service [8].
Moreover, GoFundMe has refused to disclose figures comparing the number of closed Israel or Ukraine fundraisers with those for Gaza [9]. The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) Freelance Journalists' Union reported that GoFundMe prevented $6,000 of funding from reaching the Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate, despite the organization being based in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, not in Gaza [10].
Al Jazeera sent questions to GoFundMe, asking for specific information and data regarding Gaza-related fundraisers, but the company refused to provide it [11]. A compliance officer from GoFundMe stated that Mostafa's page breached the company’s terms of service for "prohibited conduct" [1].
Aid is only reaching Gaza through the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), and hundreds of Palestinians have been shot and killed by Israeli forces at GHF aid collection sites [12]. As the famine creeps further into Gaza, the need for humanitarian aid is more urgent than ever.
References:
- Al Jazeera
- The New Arab
- The Guardian
- Middle East Eye
- The Sameer Project
- The Palestine Chronicle
- Electronic Intifada
- Palestine Legal
- The Electronic Intifada
- The Electronic Intifada
- Al Jazeera
- Middle East Eye
- The advocacy groups' accusation against GoFundMe is that the platform's actions disproportionately target Palestinian fundraisers, hampering grassroots aid efforts during military conflict and blockade in Gaza, a situation deemed discriminatory and potentially deadly.
- Hala Sabbah, co-founder of The Sameer Project, had over $250,000 of donations refunded, funds meant for healthcare and essentials in Gaza, allegedly due to GoFundMe's unclear claims about the provided documentation.
- GoFundMe argues that its approach to Gaza follows U.S. government sanctions and restrictions on money flows, but critics dispute this, pointing out that campaigns fundraising for Israel seem to escape similar interventions from the compliance team.
- GoFundMe's reluctance to disclose figures comparing closed fundraisers for Israel, Ukraine, and Gaza has fueled claims of discrimination, and an instance of a Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate missing out on $6,000 in funding supports this argument.
- The urgent need for humanitarian aid in Gaza continues amidst ongoing violence and famine, with aid only reaching the region through the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), and with hundreds of Palestinians being killed by Israeli forces at GHF aid collection sites.
