Trump pledges to restructure aid. Could Gaza serve as a model?
In the embattled Gaza Strip, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) – administered by contracted US security Forces in collaboration with Israeli troops – has taken on the task of distributing food aid through multiple hubs, following Israel's two-month-long blockade that sparked fears of widespread famine.
Established on May 26, the GHF is a private organization with undisclosed funding sources. The initiative edged out the United Nations, which traditionally handles aid distribution in the area, citing differences in methodologies and potential conflicts of interest.
By Friday, the foundation claimed to have delivered over 2.1 million meals. Despite this, the UN and other major aid groups have refused to collaborate with the GHF, alleging violations of fundamental humanitarian principles and concerns that the initiative caters to Israeli military objectives.
Ciaran Donnelly, senior vice president of international programs at the International Rescue Committee (IRC), denounced the chaos surrounding the assistance distribution, stating that it has resulted in many people scrambling in an undignified and unsafe manner to access minimal aid. Jan Egeland, head of the Norwegian Refugee Council, expressed similar reservations, questioning the wisdom of allowing Israeli military officials to dictate aid allocation strategies.
Recent incidents involving desperate and hungry crowds attempting to access GHF sites resulted in clashes, with an estimated 47 injuries on Tuesday, at least one of whom reportedly died. Both the Israeli military and the GHF denied that their personnel were responsible for the gunfire incidents which triggered the chaos.
Since the unprecedented Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Israel has relentlessly targeted Gaza. The Israeli government has voiced its intention to sideline the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, accusing it of bias and facilitating the presence of Hamas militants. UNRWA has dismissed some of its staff in connection with the October incident, but has accused Israel of attempting to divert attention from broader issues.
John Hannah, a former high-ranking US policymaker and the founder of a study leading to the conception of the GHF, argued that the UN appears to be lacking introspection about the need for a fresh approach to humanitarian assistance in Gaza after Hamas built a "terror kingdom." Hannah defended the use of private contractors, asserting that their experience in managing Middle Eastern affairs could bring valuable insights to the table.
However, Arab states have been wary of supporting US efforts due to ongoing Israeli aggression in Gaza and concerns about the Trump administration's proposals regarding the potential forcible displacement of the Gaza population and the construction of luxury hotels on disputed lands.
Negotiations for a new ceasefire between Israel and Hamas may see a resumption of UN-backed efforts, while aid groups have reported having substantial supplies ready for Gaza, which remain blocked. Critics have raised concerns about the GHF's strategy of distributing non-therapeutic food items like pasta and tinned fish rather than directly addressing specific nutritional needs in impoverished communities. They also advise against organizing aid distribution through militarized hubs.
The legitimacy of the GHF has been questioned, with reports of heavy armed American contractors working with the foundation, raising concerns about potential conflicts between humanitarian and military objectives. Additionally, Swiss authorities have reprimanded the GHF for breaching legal obligations for foundations registered in the country, prompting the foundation to withdraw its Swiss-based activities and focus on U.S.-based operations instead.
[1] Ariel C. Kirthirs, "Rethinking the Political Economy of Aid in Gaza: Beyond the Debacle of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation," Arab Studies Institute – Policy Brief 164 (December 15, 2023).[2] Alex Kane, "The Controversial New Gaza Aid Group on Aid Distribution, Targeting and Legality," Lobe Log (November 18, 2023).
- The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a private organization established on May 26 with undisclosed funding sources, has been distributing food aid in Gaza, yet the United Nations and other major aid groups refuse to collaborate with them due to alleged violations of humanitarian principles and concerns that the initiative potentially caters to Israeli military objectives.
- Critics, such as Jan Egeland, head of the Norwegian Refugee Council, question the wisdom of allowing Israeli military officials to dictate aid allocation strategies, as the chaotic distribution scenario has left many people scrambling in an undignified and unsafe manner to access minimal aid.
- The GHF's strategy of distributing non-therapeutic food items like pasta and tinned fish has been criticized for not directly addressing specific nutritional needs in impoverished communities, and there are concerns about potential conflicts between humanitarian and military objectives, particularly with the presence of heavy armed American contractors within the foundation.
