DaysofPal- The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a recently established aid group backed by Israel and the United States, has come under fire following the launch of its first aid operations in Gaza. The foundation released images showing local Palestinians receiving food parcels at a distribution center located in a southern area under Israeli control. However, many in Gaza and across the humanitarian sector are questioning the motives, neutrality, and effectiveness of the new system.
The GHF began its operations this week, following the abrupt resignation of its former director, Jake Wood, who stepped down over what he described as a failure to uphold fundamental humanitarian values.
“The organization could not adhere to the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence, which I will not abandon,” Wood said in a statement. He also urged Israel to permit more aid to enter the area under siege.
His departure has only heightened skepticism among Palestinians, many of whom view the GHF not as a lifeline but as a political instrument being used to control the population under the guise of aid distribution.
“People are saying that only those who move southwards will get aid, while those who are in central and northern Gaza will not,” said a local resident, voicing a concern echoed across Gaza. “It’s not humanitarian if it comes with conditions that endanger our lives.”
Indeed, the journey south is dangerous. Residents must traverse areas under active bombardment and navigate Israeli military checkpoints, often on foot. Once in the south, many fear they may be permanently displaced from their homes, unable to return to the north.
Despite these fears, the GHF maintains that its operations are ramping up. “More trucks with aid will be delivered tomorrow, with the flow of aid increasing each day,” the organization said in a recent statement. It acknowledged that distribution had started and that truckloads of food had arrived at its aid hubs, though it did not say how many.
However, the launch of GHF’s activities has been met with strong opposition from major international organizations. The United Nations and leading humanitarian agencies have refused to cooperate with the group, citing concerns that it violates humanitarian law and undermines the impartiality of aid distribution.
“Israel is weaponizing food,” said one aid official, who wished to remain anonymous. “This system forces civilians to move through dangerous territory to receive aid and leaves vast parts of Gaza cut off from relief. It’s not just ineffective, it’s harmful.”
The criticism is underpinned by the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza. Nearly three months into an Israeli blockade, the population of 2.3 million is facing what aid groups describe as a man-made famine.
According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report, 1.95 million people, 93 percent of the population, are experiencing acute food insecurity.
Aid groups warn that the GHF’s presence may further fragment relief efforts by establishing a parallel aid system that bypasses existing coordination and allows one party to the conflict to dictate who receives help and where.
For many Palestinians, the GHF’s operations have come to symbolize a deeper fear: that humanitarian assistance is being politicized to manipulate the movement and settlement of an already displaced population. As the crisis intensifies and famine looms, the stakes are growing, along with the demand for truly impartial and effective humanitarian relief.
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