🔗 Share this article

The controversial, US and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) announces it is winding down its relief activities in the Palestinian territory, following nearly half a year.

The group had already suspended its several relief locations in Gaza following the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel came into force recently.

The foundation sought to circumvent United Nations channels as the primary provider of humanitarian assistance to Gazans.

International relief agencies declined to participate with its methodology, saying it was unethical and unsafe.

Hundreds of Palestinians were fatally wounded while attempting to obtain sustenance amid disorderly situations near the organization's distribution points, mainly through Israeli military action, based on UN documentation.

Israel said its forces fired warning shots.

Operation Conclusion

The GHF said on Monday that it was concluding activities now because of the "effective conclusion of its humanitarian effort", with a cumulative three million shipments containing the corresponding to over 187 million food portions delivered to Palestinians.

The organization's top administrator, the executive director, additionally stated the United States-operated coordination body - which has been set up to help implement US President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan - would be "adopting and expanding the model GHF piloted".

"GHF's model, in which militant groups were prevented from misappropriating relief supplies, played a huge role in bringing Palestinian factions to negotiations and securing a halt in hostilities."

Reactions and Responses

The militant group - which disputes allegations of misappropriation - welcomed the closure of the GHF, as indicated by media.

A spokesman for declared the foundation should be subject to scrutiny for the harm it caused 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 covering up the starvation policy employed by the Israel's administration."

Foundation History

The organization commenced activities in Gaza on May 26th, a seven days following the Israeli government had moderately reduced a comprehensive closure on humanitarian and trade shipments to Gaza that continued for 77 days and resulted in critical deficits of necessary provisions.

Subsequently, a famine was declared in Gaza City.

The GHF's food distribution sites in southern and central Gaza were administered by American private security firms and positioned in regions under Israeli military authority.

Humanitarian Concerns

The UN and its partners claimed the system breached the fundamental humanitarian principles of objectivity, fairness and autonomy, and that guiding distressed residents into armed forces regions was intrinsically hazardous.

The UN's human rights office stated it documented the deaths of a minimum of 859 residents trying to acquire sustenance in the proximity to foundation locations between spring and summer months.

A further 514 persons were lost their lives close to the routes of UN and other aid convoys, it added.

The greater part of these people were fatally wounded by the Israeli forces, according to the office.

Contrasting Reports

Israeli defense forces stated its troops had discharged cautionary rounds at people who approached them in a "menacing" manner.

The organization declared there were no shooting events at the relief locations and claimed the international organization of using "inaccurate and deceptive" statistics from the Palestinian health authority administered by Hamas.

Future Implications

The organization's continuation had been indefinite since Hamas and Israel agreed a halt in hostilities arrangement to execute the first phase of the United States' reconciliation proposal.

The arrangement specified relief provision would take place "free from intervention from the both sides through the UN organizations and their partners, and the Red Crescent, in combination with other global organizations not connected in any way" with Palestinian factions and Israeli authorities.

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric declared this week that the organization's termination would have "zero effect" on its work "since we never collaborated with them".

The spokesperson additionally stated that while increased relief was entering the region since the halt in hostilities began on early October, it was "inadequate to meet all the needs" of the 2.1 million residents.