Controversial US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation Concludes Aid Operations
The controversial, American and Israeli-supported Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) declares it is terminating its humanitarian work in the affected area, after almost six months.
The foundation had already suspended its multiple aid distribution centers in Gaza after the truce agreement between Hamas and Israel took effect recently.
The GHF aimed to bypass the UN as the main supplier of humanitarian assistance to Gazans.
United Nations organizations and other humanitarian groups declined to participate with its methodology, claiming it was questionable and hazardous.
Numerous Gazans were fatally wounded while attempting to obtain sustenance amid chaotic scenes near the foundation's locations, mostly by Israeli fire, as reported by United Nations.
Israel said its troops fired cautionary rounds.
Mission Completion
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 total of three million packages containing the equivalent of more than 187 million meals distributed to Gazans.
The organization's top administrator, the executive director, additionally stated the US-led Civil-Military Coordination Centre (CMCC) - which has been created to help carry out the United States' Palestinian peace proposal - would be "taking over and developing the system the foundation tested".
"The foundation's approach, in which Palestinian factions were unable to divert and benefit from humanitarian assistance, played a huge role in convincing militant groups to participate and securing a halt in hostilities."
Reactions and Responses
The militant group - which disputes allegations of misappropriation - approved the termination of the GHF, according to reports.
A spokesman for stated GHF should be subject to scrutiny for the damage it inflicted to Gazans.
"We call upon all international human rights organisations to ensure that it does not escape accountability after causing the death and injury of thousands of Gazans and concealing the starvation policy employed by the Israeli government."
Foundation History
The foundation started work in Gaza on 26 May, a week after Israel had partially eased a total blockade on humanitarian and trade shipments to Gaza that lasted 11 weeks and resulted in critical deficits of necessary provisions.
After 90 days, a famine was declared in Gaza City.
The organization's sustenance provision locations in southern and central Gaza were operated by United States-based protection companies and positioned in areas controlled by Israeli forces.
Aid Organization Objections
United Nations agencies and their collaborators said the methodology violated the core assistance standards of neutrality, impartiality and independence, and that directing needy individuals into militarised zones was fundamentally dangerous.
United Nations human rights division stated it documented the deaths of a minimum of 859 residents trying to acquire sustenance in the area surrounding organization centers between late May through end of July.
An additional 514 individuals were killed near the courses followed by international humanitarian deliveries, it added.
The majority of these individuals were lost their lives due to the Israeli military, as per the organization's documentation.
Conflicting Accounts
Israeli defense forces said its forces had released alerting fire at persons who advanced toward them in a "threatening" fashion.
The GHF said there were no shootings at the distribution centers and accused the UN of using "inaccurate and deceptive" data from the Palestinian health authority administered by Hamas.
Subsequent Developments
The GHF's future had been unclear since Palestinian factions and Israeli authorities consented a ceasefire deal to execute the primary segment of the United States' reconciliation proposal.
It said humanitarian assistance would take place "without interference from the both sides through the UN organizations and their partners, and the Red Crescent, in combination with other global organizations not associated in any manner" with Palestinian factions and Israeli authorities.
United Nations representative Stephane Dujarric said on Monday that the GHF's shutdown would have "no impact" on its activities "since we never collaborated with them".
The spokesperson additionally stated that while additional assistance was reaching the Palestinian territory since the halt in hostilities began on 10 October, it was "insufficient to meet all the needs" of the 2.1 million population.