Humanitarian Aid Distribution Program in the Gaza Strip
Humanitarian Aid Distribution Program in the Gaza Strip is a joint American-Israeli program by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation[1] designed to facilitate the entry and distribution of humanitarian aid (such as food, medicine, and supplies) to the civilian population in the Gaza Strip, in response to the 11 week blockade of food entry into Gaza imposed by Israel.[1] The program began operating on May 26, 2025.
Four distribution centers have been built. Three of them in the Tel al-Sultan refugee camp[1] near the Morag Corridor that separates Rafah and Khan Yunis and one of them on the Netzarim Corridor at the center of the Gaza Strip.[2]
Program characteristics
[edit]The program involves opening several food distribution centers in southern Gaza, the first of which was established in the Tel al-Sultan area of Rafah. Four additional centers are planned, each expected to serve approximately 300,000 people.[2]
The centers are managed by an American contractor, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), rather than by UN agencies or traditional international aid organizations.[2]
The facilities are secured by American contractors and remotely monitored by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). GHF has pledged not to share any personally identifiable information about aid recipients with Israeli authorities.[2]
The assistance primarily includes food packages, drinking water, medicine, and tents.[2]
Challenges and criticism
[edit]The operation has been criticized for "[distracting] from what is actually needed" by a UN spokesman.[1] The UN and many other aid groups refuse to cooperate with the GHF and accuse them of "[weaponising] aid".[1][3]
These groups have raised concerns about the exclusion of those with mobility issues, an increase of displacement, the exposure of thousands of people to harm and that the aid will be conditional on political and military aims, which could set an "unacceptable" precedent for aid delivery around the world.[1][4]
The aid boxes also weigh 20kg and must be carried by hand, which potentially excludes weak and injured people.[3]
Israel claims that an alternative distribution pathway to the one of the UN is needed since Hamas allegedly steals aid, which the group has denied.[1]
The program has also been criticized for their attempt to subvert the UN pathway and Switzerland is currently investigating GHF.[5][6]
Rafah Incident
[edit]On 27 May 2025, the GHF began distributing aid at a distribution center in Tel al-Sultan in Rafah, under Israeli military oversight. Thousands of starving Palestinians gathered to access food packages. The large crowd, including women and children, led to chaos as people clambered over fences and pushed through packed corridors to reach the supplies. As a result of the chaos, the GHF said that the American private contractors were forced to withdraw, allowing some Gazans to "take aid safely and dissipate."[7][8]
The Gaza Government Media Office reported that Israeli tanks opened live fire on the crowd, resulting in at least three deaths and 48 injuries, calling it a "deliberate massacre" and a "full-fledged war crime." The IDF on the other hand denied firing at Palestinians but claimed that it rather fired "warning shots" in an outside area.[9] Israel claimed to have done so to establish "control over the situation."[10] The Israeli narrative, however, had been refuted by a UN spokesperson, who insisted that "most of those injured are due to gunshots" from the Israel Defense Forces.[7]
Videos circulating show people running away from the distribution center in panic as gunfire is heard in the distance. They also show a military helicopter firing flares from the sky.[7]GHF
[edit]On May 25, 2025, the executive director of GHF Jake Wood announced that he was stepping down because it was impossible to meet the foundation's objectives while "strictly adhering to the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence, which I will not abandon."[11] He also called on Israel to allow significantly more aid to enter Gaza through all pathways and for such aid to be allowed in without diversion or discrimination, while also calling on Hamas to release the hostages.[12] The GHF said its operations would begin without Wood, and that it would be feeding more than one million Palestinians within a week.[13]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g Gritten, David (May 27, 2025). "Controversial US-backed group says it has begun aid distribution in Gaza". BBC Home. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e Blumenthal, Itay; Gili Cohen (May 26, 2025). "Distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza has begun: This is how it will work". Kan News.
- ^ a b Graham-Harrison, Emma (May 17, 2025). "Israel-backed food aid group admits it won't be able to reach most vulnerable in Gaza". the Guardian. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
- ^ "US-Israel scheme dispenses Gaza aid as UN says 180,000 displaced in 10 days". Al Jazeera. May 27, 2025. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
- ^ "Schweiz prüft Verfahren gegen von den USA unterstützte Organisation GHF". Die Nachrichten (in German). May 25, 2025. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
- ^ Hondl, Kathrin (May 27, 2025). "Gaza Humanitarian Foundation". tagesschau.de (in German). Retrieved May 27, 2025.
- ^ a b c Cheeseman, Abbie; Rubin, Shira; DeYoung, Karen; Wiener, Aaron; Bisset, Victoria (2025-05-28). "Dozens injured by gunshots amid chaos at Gaza aid hub, U.N. says". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2025-05-28.
- ^ Livni, Ephrat; Kingsley, Patrick; Harouda, Ameera; Boxerman, Aaron (2025-05-27). "Chaos Erupts at Israeli-Backed Aid Distribution Site in Gaza". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-05-28.
- ^ "'Deliberate massacre' in Gaza as starving Palestinians seek Israeli-US aid". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2025-05-28.
- ^ "Gaza: Crowds storm US-backed group's new aid distribution centre". BBC News. 2025-05-27. Retrieved 2025-05-28.
- ^ Jeong, Andrew (May 25, 2025). "Gaza Humanitarian Foundation head resigns, casting more doubt on aid plan". The Washington Post.
- ^ "Gaza Humanitarian Foundation head quits, 'not possible to implement this plan'". Jewish News Syndicate. May 25, 2025. Retrieved May 25, 2025.
- ^ Kingsley, Patrick; Young, Jin Yu (2025-05-26). "Gaza Humanitarian Foundation Head, Jake Wood, Resigns". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-05-26.
