Controversial US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation Ends Relief Activities
The debated, US and Israel-backed Gaza relief foundation says it is terminating its humanitarian work in the affected area, after almost six months.
The organisation had already suspended its three food distribution sites in Gaza following the halt in hostilities between Palestinian factions and Israel took effect recently.
The organization attempted to avoid UN systems as the primary provider of humanitarian assistance to Gazans.
UN and other aid agencies would not collaborate with its methodology, stating it was improper and dangerous.
Many residents were lost their lives while seeking food amid chaotic scenes near the organization's distribution points, mostly by Israeli fire, based on UN documentation.
The Israeli military claimed its forces fired alerting fire.
Mission Completion
The foundation announced on Monday that it was winding down operations now because of the "satisfactory fulfillment 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 organization's top administrator, the executive director, additionally stated the US-led Civil-Military Coordination Centre (CMCC) - which has been set up to help implement the American administration's Gaza initiative - would be "taking over and developing the model GHF piloted".
"The foundation's approach, in which Palestinian factions were unable to divert and benefit from humanitarian assistance, had major impact in getting Hamas to the table and securing a halt in hostilities."
Comments and Positions
The militant group - which disputes allegations of misappropriation - approved the termination of the GHF, according to reports.
An official from declared the organization should be subject to scrutiny for the damage it inflicted to Palestinians.
"We urge all international human rights organisations to ensure that it does not escape accountability after resulting in fatalities and harm of many residents and obscuring the starvation policy implemented by the Israeli government."
Foundation History
The foundation started work in Gaza on late May, a short period subsequent to Israeli authorities had somewhat relaxed a comprehensive closure on relief and commercial goods to Gaza that continued for 77 days and led to substantial deficiencies of vital resources.
After 90 days, a famine was declared in the Gaza metropolitan area.
The foundation's nourishment distribution centers in various parts of the Palestinian territory were administered by American private security firms and positioned in areas controlled by Israeli forces.
Humanitarian Concerns
United Nations agencies and their collaborators said the methodology violated the fundamental humanitarian principles of neutrality, impartiality and independence, and that directing needy individuals into militarised zones was inherently unsafe.
The UN's human rights office stated it documented the killing of at least 859 Palestinians trying to acquire sustenance in the vicinity of GHF sites between spring and summer months.
A further 514 persons were lost their lives close to the paths taken by United Nations and additional relief shipments, it further stated.
The majority of these individuals were lost their lives due to the Israeli forces, according to the office.
Divergent Narratives
The Israeli military claimed its soldiers had released alerting fire at persons who advanced toward them in a "menacing" manner.
The foundation stated there were no shootings at the aid sites and claimed the international organization of using "inaccurate and deceptive" figures from Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry.
Ongoing Situation
The foundation's prospects had been unclear since Palestinian factions and Israeli authorities consented a truce agreement to execute the initial stage of Trump's peace plan.
The agreement stated relief provision would take place "without interference from the both sides through the international bodies and their affiliates, and the Red Crescent, in combination with other worldwide bodies not associated in any manner" with Hamas and Israel.
United Nations representative the international body's communicator declared this week that the GHF's shutdown would have "zero effect" on its operations "as we never partnered with them".
The official further mentioned that while more aid was getting into Gaza since the halt in hostilities began on early October, it was "insufficient to meet all the needs" of the over two million inhabitants.