Trump administration earmarks $30 million for a controversial Gaza aid group, denounced by the U.N. as a potential "death trap."
The Trump administration green-lit a whopping $30 million for Gaza's dubious aid powerhouse, Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), on Thursday. Critics rip this privately run entity as "a death trap" for the war-stricken Palestinians of Gaza. This dollar dump is the first confirmed funding from the U.S. Treasury for the controversial GHF, reports indicate.
As the GHF kicked off in May, it claims to have dished out a staggering 46 million meals to Gaza residents. However, nearly daily reports of civilian deaths attempting to access these "distribution hubs" mar its record.
According to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health, as of Wednesday, 549 souls were snuffed out and 4,066 more were wounded near GHF distribution centers. The United Nations paints a lower portrait, saying 410 have perished in these regions.
Nevertheless, the GHF shrugs off these numbers as disinformation. Day after day, they protest that no casualties have occurred within their hubs. They argue incidents of violence outside the sites are responsibility of Israel's military.
Tommy Pigott, State Department spokesperson, says, "We're calling on other nations to support the GHF too." He justifies this march of funds as the latest in President Trump's and Secretary Rubio's quest for peace in the region.
Yet when probed about the recurrent shots fired by Israeli forces around GHF zones, Pigott ducked the question and pointed to the IDF for comment. He alleges many of these reports are based on Hamas propaganda.
Curiously, when grilled about the possible cooperation of U.S. or Israel with GHF, Pigott only repeated his appeal for more international support of the GHF, declining to answer directly.
Accusations of Palestinian trap and U.S. proxy fly thick and fast once more at GHF.
Philip Lowe, head of the U.N.'s agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), brands it "a death trap."
More damning is the label of "Israeli-U.S. proxy" hurled by international charity Doctors Without Borders.
The GHF shacks are as large as football fields, surrounded by obstacles and armed watch posts, MSF's emergency coordinator in Gaza, Aitor Zabalgogeazkoa, claims. Anyone trying to reach them gets shot if they arrive too late, too early, or simply jump over the barriers.
The GHF spokesperson, in response to these allegations, tells our News, "Many of these alleged incidents were falsely linked to GHF sites when they actually occurred near other humanitarian convoys or distribution locations."
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz put further weight onto the accusations of violence around GHF zones in an article published Friday. It quotes anonymous IDF personnel referring to a deliberate tactic to shoot at crowds near GHF distribution sites.
One soldier said, "It was a killing field."
In a statement to our News, the IDF strongly rejects the accusations, stressing that it prohibits intentional attacks on civilians. It promises systematic improvements are being made and ongoing investigations are in place to stamp out any deviations from the law.
In a joint statement, Netanyahu and Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz also pushed back against the Haaretz article allegations.
In response to Haaretz's claims, a GHF spokesperson states that there have been no incidents or fatalities at or near GHF sites. However, the IDF is charged with ensuring safe passage to all humanitarian organizations operating in Gaza, including the GHF, and the GHF has yet to investigate these incidents, they say.
- The news about the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) is controversial, with critical voices labeling it as a "death trap" and an "Israeli-U.S. proxy."
- Recently, the GHF has been accused of causing civilian deaths while distributing aid. For example, the United Nations' agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has branded it as such, while international charity Doctors Without Borders has also hurled similar accusations.
- The GHF has disputed these allegations, claiming that many of the reported incidents were actually linked to other humanitarian convoys or distribution locations. However, Israeli newspaper Haaretz published an article claiming that there is a deliberate tactic to shoot at crowds near GHF distribution sites.
- The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has denied these accusations, emphasizing that they prohibit intentional attacks on civilians and are working on systematic improvements and ongoing investigations to prevent such incidents.
