The UN has stated that the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), established under the efforts of Israel in collaboration with the United States to bring the work of providing food and humanitarian aid to Gaza under full Israeli control, is obscuring the real situation in Gaza and diverting attention from the needs of the area.
In response to the jihadi attack launched by the Hamas group, which governs Gaza, against Israel on October 7, 2023, unable to tolerate Israeli aggressions, the Israeli army has begun a genocide to exterminate the people of Gaza as retaliation for those attacks. Although the exchange of attacks was suspended under a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel that came into effect on January 19, violating that agreement, the Israeli army resumed attacks on Gaza on March 18. Shortly before violating the agreement, on March 2, Israel tightened the blockade on Gaza, obstructing the entry of food and aid supplies to the area. More than two months have passed since then, and Gaza’s 2.3 million2.3 million residents continue to face extreme hunger and disease.
However, Israel has now allowed a small amount of food and aid supplies to enter Gaza. Under this opportunity, only a fraction of what is actually needed by the residents of the area has been provided to Gaza so far. Israel regularly inspects and clears the supplies entering Gaza. Israel blocks the entry of many types of items into Gaza, claiming they could be used by Hamas for attacks. In collaboration with the United States, Israel has planned to establish four main centers in different areas of Gaza and distribute aid only through these centers. And to force all Gaza residents to evacuate and relocate to these areas. These centers will screen Gaza residents to check if they have any connection with Hamas. It is possible that a facial recognition system will be used for this work. The GHF, registered in Switzerland, is set to distribute aid supplies to Gaza residents with Israel providing security.
However, the UN and many international aid organizations have opposed the distribution of aid supplies in Gaza through the GHF. These organizations believe that if this work is done through the GHF, it will conflict with the principle of having neutral parties carry out such work. The GHF announced on May 26 that it has begun distributing aid supplies in Gaza. Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said that the UN is not participating in bringing in aid supplies through the GHF because this system does not solve the real problem. Highlighting that what Gaza really needs is the entry of aid supplies without any obstacles, he said that currently only the supplies that Israel wants are being brought in, and there are situations where these supplies may not be the most needed by Gaza residents in this situation.
With Israel tightening the blockade on Gaza and obstructing the entry of food and essential supplies, the World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that medicines and other supplies needed for medical care have run out in the area. Juliette Touma, Communications Director of UNRWA, the UN agency that provides aid to the impoverished Palestinians living in Gaza, said that Israel has decided not to allow the entry of a large number of medical supplies prepared for Gaza. She said that in addition to food, more than 3,000 lorries loaded with medicines are lined up ind up in Jordan and Egypt, ready in a state of preparedness, waiting for the green signal to enter Gaza. She further added that these items will soon expire and become unusable.”
