Controversial American-supported GHF Aid Organization Terminates Humanitarian Work
The debated, United States and Israel-funded Gaza relief foundation says it is concluding its aid operations in the Palestinian territory, after almost six months.
The group had earlier paused its several relief locations in Gaza after the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel came into force recently.
The GHF aimed to circumvent United Nations channels as the main supplier of aid to Gaza's population.
International relief agencies refused to co-operate with its methodology, stating it was questionable and hazardous.
Numerous Gazans were fatally wounded while attempting to obtain sustenance amid disorderly situations near GHF's sites, mostly by Israeli fire, according to the UN.
Israeli authorities stated its soldiers fired alerting fire.
Mission Completion
The foundation announced on the beginning of the week that it was terminating work now because of the "effective conclusion of its humanitarian effort", with a cumulative three million shipments containing the corresponding to over 187 million food portions delivered to Palestinians.
The organization's top administrator, the foundation leader, further mentioned the United States-operated coordination body - which has been set up to help carry out the American administration's Gaza initiative - would be "implementing and enlarging the model GHF piloted".
"The foundation's approach, in which militant groups were prevented from misappropriating relief supplies, played a huge role in convincing militant groups to participate and establishing a truce."
Comments and Positions
The Palestinian faction - which refutes aid diversion claims - approved the termination of the GHF, based on information.
An official from stated the organization should be subject to scrutiny for the damage it inflicted to Gazans.
"We request all international human rights organisations to guarantee that responsibility is assigned after resulting in fatalities and harm of thousands of Gazans and covering up the starvation policy implemented by the Israel's administration."
Foundation History
The foundation started work in Gaza on late May, a week after Israeli authorities had somewhat relaxed a comprehensive closure on humanitarian and trade shipments to Gaza that persisted for nearly three months and caused severe shortages of necessary provisions.
Three months later, a nutritional emergency was proclaimed in the Palestinian urban center.
The organization's sustenance provision locations in the southern and middle regions of Gaza were managed by US private security contractors and located inside areas controlled by Israeli forces.
Humanitarian Concerns
International organizations and their affiliates said the methodology breached the fundamental humanitarian principles of objectivity, fairness and autonomy, and that guiding distressed residents into armed forces regions was intrinsically hazardous.
The UN's human rights office stated it documented the deaths of a minimum of 859 residents attempting to obtain nourishment in the vicinity of GHF sites between spring and summer months.
Another 514 people were fatally wounded around the routes of UN and other aid convoys, it further stated.
Most of them were fatally wounded by the Israeli forces, according to the office.
Contrasting Reports
The Israeli military said its soldiers had fired warning shots at individuals who came near them in a "threatening" fashion.
The organization declared there were no shootings at the aid sites and claimed the international organization of using "false and misleading" statistics from the Gazan medical department controlled by militant factions.
Future Implications
The GHF's future had been unclear since Hamas and Israel agreed a halt in hostilities arrangement to implement the initial stage of the United States' reconciliation proposal.
The arrangement specified relief provision would take place "without interference from the both sides through the United Nations and its agencies, and the Red Crescent, in addition to other worldwide bodies not linked whatsoever" with militant groups and the Israeli government.
International organization official the UN spokesman declared this week that the foundation's closure would have "no impact" on its operations "since we never collaborated with them".
The official further mentioned that while more aid was getting into Gaza since the ceasefire took effect on October 10th, it was "inadequate to satisfy all requirements" of the 2.1 million residents.