Disputed US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation Terminates Relief Activities
The controversial, US and Israel-backed GHF aid organization declares it is winding down its aid operations in the Gaza region, following nearly half a year.
The foundation had already suspended its several relief locations in Gaza after the halt in hostilities between Palestinian factions and Israel came into force in recent weeks.
The foundation sought to circumvent United Nations channels as the primary provider of relief to Palestinian residents.
International relief agencies declined to participate with its system, claiming it was unethical and unsafe.
Numerous Gazans were lost their lives while seeking food amid chaotic scenes near GHF's sites, mostly by Israeli fire, according to the UN.
The Israeli military claimed its forces fired cautionary rounds.
Mission Completion
The GHF said on Monday that it was terminating work now because of the "effective conclusion of its humanitarian effort", with a total of three million packages containing the equivalent of more than 187 million meals distributed to Gazans.
The foundation's chief officer, the foundation leader, further mentioned the American-directed Civil-Military Coordination Center - which has been created to help carry out US President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan - would be "implementing and enlarging the model GHF piloted".
"The foundation's approach, in which militant groups were prevented from misappropriating relief supplies, had major impact in bringing Palestinian factions to negotiations and establishing a truce."
Reactions and Responses
The militant group - which disputes allegations of misappropriation - welcomed the closure of the humanitarian foundation, according to reports.
An official from declared GHF should be held accountable for the damage it inflicted to Gazans.
"We request all global human rights groups to make certain that consequences are faced after leading to casualties and wounds of numerous Palestinians and concealing the food deprivation strategy practised by the Israel's administration."
Operational Background
The organization commenced activities in Gaza on 26 May, a seven days following Israel had partially eased a comprehensive closure on humanitarian and trade shipments to Gaza that persisted for nearly three months and caused severe shortages of necessary provisions.
Subsequently, a nutritional emergency was proclaimed in the Palestinian urban center.
The foundation's nourishment distribution centers in the southern and middle regions of Gaza were administered by US private security contractors and situated within Israeli military zones.
Relief Agency Issues
United Nations agencies and their collaborators said the approach breached the basic relief guidelines of neutrality, impartiality and independence, and that guiding distressed residents into militarised zones was fundamentally dangerous.
The UN's human rights office said it recorded the fatalities of no fewer than 859 Gazans seeking food in the proximity to foundation locations between late May through end of July.
Another 514 people were fatally wounded around the routes of UN and other aid convoys, it also mentioned.
The greater part of these people were lost their lives due to the Israel's armed forces, as per the organization's documentation.
Divergent Narratives
Israeli defense forces claimed its forces had released alerting fire at individuals who came near them in a "intimidating" way.
The organization declared there were no shootings at the distribution centers and alleged that United Nations of using "untrue and confusing" figures from the Palestinian health authority administered by Hamas.
Ongoing Situation
The organization's continuation had been unclear since Hamas and Israel agreed a ceasefire deal to implement the primary segment of Trump's peace plan.
The arrangement specified aid distribution would take place "without interference from the involved factions through the United Nations and its agencies, and the international relief society, in combination with other worldwide bodies not connected in any way" with Hamas and Israel.
UN spokesperson the UN spokesman declared this week that the foundation's closure would have "no influence" on its operations "because we never worked with them".
The spokesperson additionally stated that while more aid was getting into Gaza since the halt in hostilities began on October 10th, it was "insufficient to address all necessities" of the over two million inhabitants.