🔗 Share this article

The debated, US and Israel-backed Gaza relief foundation says it is terminating its humanitarian work in the affected area, following nearly half a year.

The organisation had earlier paused its several relief locations in Gaza subsequent to the truce agreement between Hamas and Israel took effect in recent weeks.

The foundation sought to bypass the UN as the chief distributor of humanitarian assistance to Gazans.

United Nations organizations and other humanitarian groups refused to co-operate with its methodology, stating it was unethical and unsafe.

Many residents were killed while trying to acquire nourishment amid disorderly situations near the foundation's locations, mostly by Israeli fire, according to the UN.

The Israeli military claimed its forces fired alerting fire.

Mission Completion

The GHF said on Monday that it was terminating work now because of the "effective conclusion of its emergency mission", with a aggregate of 3 million parcels containing the amounting to in excess of 187 million sustenance units distributed to Gazans.

The foundation's chief officer, the foundation leader, also said the United States-operated coordination body - which has been established to help execute US President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan - would be "adopting and expanding the model GHF piloted".

"GHF's model, in which Hamas could no longer loot and profit from stealing aid, played a huge role in convincing militant groups to participate and securing a halt in hostilities."

Comments and Positions

The Palestinian faction - which refutes aid diversion claims - supported the shutdown of the GHF, as indicated by media.

A representative of said the organization should be subject to scrutiny for the damage it inflicted to Gazans.

"We request all international human rights organisations to make certain that consequences are faced after causing the death and injury of thousands of Gazans and concealing the food deprivation strategy practised by the Israel's administration."

Foundation History

The GHF began operations in Gaza on late May, a week after Israel had partially eased a total blockade on humanitarian and trade shipments to Gaza that lasted 11 weeks and caused severe shortages of vital resources.

Subsequently, a food crisis was announced in the Gaza metropolitan area.

The GHF's food distribution sites in southern and central Gaza were administered by American private security firms and positioned in areas controlled by Israeli forces.

Relief Agency Issues

United Nations agencies and their collaborators stated the system breached the core assistance standards of neutrality, impartiality and independence, and that guiding distressed residents into military-controlled areas was inherently unsafe.

The UN's human rights office reported it tracked 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 courses followed by international humanitarian deliveries, it added.

The majority of these individuals were fatally wounded by the Israeli forces, based on the agency's reports.

Divergent Narratives

Israel's armed services said its soldiers had fired warning shots at people who approached them in a "intimidating" fashion.

The foundation stated there were no shootings at the distribution centers and claimed the international organization of using "false and misleading" statistics from Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry.

Ongoing Situation

The GHF's future had been uncertain since Hamas and Israel agreed a halt in hostilities arrangement to carry out the primary segment of the American administration's peace initiative.

The arrangement specified relief provision would take place "absent meddling from the both sides through the United Nations and its agencies, and the Red Crescent, in addition to other international institutions not linked whatsoever" with militant groups and the Israeli government.

United Nations representative the UN spokesman said on Monday that the organization's termination would have "no influence" on its work "because we never worked with them".

The official further mentioned that while increased relief was entering the region since the truce was implemented on early October, it was "insufficient to address all necessities" of the 2.1 million population.