A new aid organization, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), backed by the US and Israel, has begun distributing food aid in Gaza amid a severe humanitarian crisis. The group announced it had delivered lorries of food to secure sites and started handing out aid, though specific details on locations or quantities remain unclear. The GHF’s involvement marks a shift from the traditional UN-led aid efforts.
GHF Seeks To Bypass UN Amid Blockade, Faces Criticism Over Humanitarian Principles
The GHF aims to bypass the UN as the main provider of aid to Gaza’s 2.1 million residents, where experts warn of an impending famine due to an 11-week Israeli blockade. The group uses armed American security contractors and insists its approach is necessary to prevent Hamas from stealing aid—a claim Hamas denies. Many humanitarian agencies reject the GHF’s plans, arguing that its methods violate core humanitarian principles and risk politicizing aid.
Controversial US-Backed Gaza Aid Group Bypasses UN as Critics Warn of Politicized Relief EffortJohn Acree, a former USAID manager, has been appointed interim executive director after Jake Wood resigned, criticizing the GHF system as incompatible with principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence. The GHF board, however, dismissed such criticism as resistance from those benefiting from the current aid framework, asserting their model would feed a million Palestinians by the end of the week.
GHF Aid System Criticized For Excluding Vulnerable Groups And Politicizing Humanitarian Assistance
GHF’s system requires Palestinians, screened for security, to collect aid boxes from a limited number of southern Gaza sites, protected by American contractors and Israeli troops. UN and other aid agencies refuse cooperation, warning this approach excludes vulnerable groups such as the elderly and disabled, risks further displacement, and sets a dangerous precedent by linking aid to political or military objectives.
Hamas has warned Palestinians against cooperating with GHF, accusing it of enforcing starvation and using food as a weapon. The GHF condemned Hamas for threatening aid workers and blocking access to aid. Israel imposed a strict blockade on Gaza in March 2025 and resumed military offensives, aiming to pressure Hamas to release hostages. Although some aid has been allowed, UN officials warn it is far from sufficient to prevent widespread starvation.
Since Hamas’s October 2023 attack, which triggered the Israeli military campaign, tens of thousands of Gazans have died, and over half a million face starvation according to UN assessments. Despite some humanitarian aid deliveries, the crisis deepens amid ongoing conflict and displacement, with international agencies calling for renewed, principled aid efforts to address urgent food shortages and suffering in Gaza.