Controversial United States-funded Gaza Relief Group Concludes Humanitarian Work
The controversial, American and Israeli-supported Gaza relief foundation declares it is concluding its relief activities in the affected area, after almost six months.
The foundation had earlier paused its multiple aid distribution centers in Gaza after the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel took effect in recent weeks.
The foundation sought to circumvent United Nations channels as the chief distributor of aid to Gaza's population.
International relief agencies refused to co-operate with its system, saying it was questionable and hazardous.
Many residents were killed while seeking food amid disorderly situations near GHF's sites, mainly through Israeli military action, according to the UN.
The Israeli military claimed its soldiers fired alerting fire.
Operation Conclusion
The GHF said on the beginning of the week that it was concluding activities now because of the "satisfactory fulfillment of its crisis response", with a aggregate of 3 million parcels containing the corresponding to over 187 million food portions delivered to Palestinians.
The GHF's executive director, the foundation leader, further mentioned the United States-operated coordination body - which has been created to help implement US President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan - would be "adopting and expanding the model GHF piloted".
"GHF's model, in which Palestinian factions were unable to divert and benefit from humanitarian assistance, was significantly influential in getting Hamas to the table and establishing a truce."
Reactions and Responses
Hamas - which denies stealing aid - welcomed the closure of the GHF, according to reports.
An official from stated GHF should be made responsible for the negative impact it created to Palestinians.
"We request all worldwide humanitarian bodies to make certain that consequences are faced after causing the death and injury of thousands of Gazans and covering up the starvation policy practised by the Israeli authorities."
Foundation History
The GHF began operations in Gaza on late May, a seven days following Israeli authorities had somewhat relaxed a comprehensive closure on relief and commercial goods to Gaza that persisted for nearly three months and caused severe shortages of essential supplies.
After 90 days, a famine was declared in Gaza City.
The organization's sustenance provision locations in various parts of the Palestinian territory were administered by US private security contractors and positioned in regions under Israeli military authority.
Aid Organization Objections
International organizations and their affiliates claimed the approach breached the basic relief guidelines of neutrality, impartiality and independence, and that guiding distressed residents into military-controlled areas was intrinsically hazardous.
International human rights monitoring body reported it tracked the killing of at least 859 Palestinians trying to acquire sustenance in the proximity to foundation locations between late May through end of July.
An additional 514 individuals were killed near the routes of UN and other aid convoys, it also mentioned.
Most of them were lost their lives due to the Israeli military, according to the office.
Conflicting Accounts
Israeli defense forces stated its forces had discharged cautionary rounds at people who approached them in a "intimidating" manner.
The foundation stated there were no shootings at the aid sites and alleged that United Nations of using "false and misleading" figures from Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry.
Ongoing Situation
The organization's continuation had been unclear since militant groups and the Israeli government approved a truce agreement to execute the initial stage of the United States' reconciliation proposal.
The arrangement specified humanitarian assistance would take place "without interference from the two parties through the United Nations and its agencies, and the international relief society, in addition to other worldwide bodies not associated in any manner" with militant groups and the Israeli government.
International organization official Stephane Dujarric stated recently that the organization's termination would have "zero effect" on its activities "since we never collaborated with them".
He also said that while additional assistance was reaching the Palestinian territory since the truce was implemented on 10 October, it was "inadequate to satisfy all requirements" of the 2.1 million residents.