🔗 Share this article

The debated, US and Israel-backed Gaza relief foundation declares it is terminating its relief activities in the Palestinian territory, after almost six months.

The organisation had earlier paused its three food distribution sites in Gaza after the halt in hostilities between Palestinian factions and Israel came into force six weeks ago.

The GHF aimed to bypass the UN as the chief distributor of aid to Gaza's population.

International relief agencies declined to participate with its system, claiming it was unethical and unsafe.

Many residents were fatally wounded while attempting to obtain sustenance amid disorderly situations near the organization's distribution points, mostly by Israeli fire, according to the UN.

The Israeli military claimed its forces fired warning shots.

Operation Conclusion

The foundation announced on Monday that it was terminating work now because of the "effective conclusion of its emergency mission", with a total of three million packages containing the corresponding to over 187 million food portions distributed to Gazans.

The GHF's executive director, Jon Acree, also said the United States-operated coordination body - which has been created to help implement the American administration's Gaza initiative - would be "adopting and expanding the approach the organization demonstrated".

"The foundation's approach, in which militant groups were prevented from misappropriating relief supplies, was significantly influential in getting Hamas to the table and establishing a truce."

Feedback and Statements

The Palestinian faction - which refutes aid diversion claims - approved the termination of the GHF, according to reports.

A representative of said the foundation should be subject to scrutiny for the negative impact it created to local residents.

"We call upon all global human rights groups to make certain that consequences are faced after causing the death and injury of numerous Palestinians and obscuring the food deprivation strategy practised by the Israeli government."

Foundation History

The GHF began operations in Gaza on May 26th, a seven days following Israeli authorities had somewhat relaxed a comprehensive closure on aid and commercial deliveries to Gaza that lasted 11 weeks and led to substantial deficiencies of necessary provisions.

Three months later, a food crisis was announced in Gaza City.

The GHF's food distribution sites in various parts of the Palestinian territory were administered by American private security firms and located inside Israeli military zones.

Humanitarian Concerns

United Nations agencies and their collaborators stated the approach contravened the basic relief guidelines of neutrality, impartiality and independence, and that guiding distressed residents into military-controlled areas was inherently unsafe.

International human rights monitoring body stated it documented the fatalities of no fewer than 859 Gazans seeking food in the area surrounding organization centers between 26 May and 31 July.

A further 514 persons were lost their lives close to the paths taken by United Nations and additional relief shipments, it further stated.

Most of them were fatally wounded by the Israeli forces, based on the agency's reports.

Conflicting Accounts

Israeli defense forces said its troops had fired warning shots at persons who advanced toward them in a "intimidating" fashion.

The GHF said there were no shooting events at the aid sites and alleged that United Nations of using "inaccurate and deceptive" data 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 halt in hostilities arrangement to execute the initial stage of Trump's peace plan.

It said relief provision would take place "free from intervention from the involved factions through the UN organizations and their partners, and the international relief society, in combination with other worldwide bodies not associated in any manner" with Hamas and Israel.

UN spokesperson the UN spokesman declared this week that the organization's termination would have "no influence" on its operations "as we never partnered with them".

He also said that while more aid was getting into Gaza since the halt in hostilities began on 10 October, it was "inadequate to satisfy all requirements" of the 2.1 million population.