Disputed United States-funded Gaza Humanitarian Foundation Concludes Aid Operations
The controversial, US and Israel-backed GHF aid organization announces it is winding down its aid operations in the Palestinian territory, after almost six months.
The group had earlier paused its several relief locations in Gaza following the truce agreement between Hamas and Israel was implemented six weeks ago.
The foundation sought to bypass the UN as the chief distributor of aid to Gaza's population.
United Nations organizations and other humanitarian groups would not collaborate with its system, saying it was improper and dangerous.
Numerous Gazans were killed while trying to acquire nourishment amid disorderly situations near the organization's distribution points, mainly through Israeli military action, as reported by United Nations.
Israeli authorities stated its troops fired alerting fire.
Mission Completion
The organization declared on recently that it was concluding activities 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 provided to residents.
The foundation's chief officer, the executive director, also said the United States-operated coordination body - which has been set up to help implement the American administration's Gaza initiative - would be "adopting and expanding the system the foundation tested".
"The organization's system, in which militant groups were prevented from misappropriating relief supplies, was significantly influential in bringing Palestinian factions to negotiations and establishing a truce."
Comments and Positions
The Palestinian faction - which refutes aid diversion claims - approved the termination of the GHF, as indicated by media.
An official from stated the organization should be held accountable for the negative impact it created to Gazans.
"We request all international human rights organisations to ensure that it does not escape accountability after leading to casualties and wounds of numerous Palestinians and obscuring the starvation policy practised by the Israel's administration."
Organization Timeline
The organization commenced activities in Gaza on 26 May, a short period subsequent to Israel had partially eased a comprehensive closure on relief and commercial goods to Gaza that persisted for nearly three months and led to substantial deficiencies of necessary provisions.
Three months later, a food crisis was announced in the Palestinian urban center.
The foundation's nourishment distribution centers in southern and central Gaza were operated by American private security firms and positioned in Israeli military zones.
Humanitarian Concerns
International organizations and their affiliates claimed the approach violated the basic relief guidelines of neutrality, impartiality and independence, and that guiding distressed residents into militarised zones was intrinsically hazardous.
The UN's human rights office said it recorded the deaths of a minimum of 859 residents seeking food in the proximity to foundation locations between 26 May and 31 July.
A further 514 persons were killed near the paths taken by United Nations and additional relief shipments, it also mentioned.
The majority of these individuals were killed by the Israeli forces, based on the agency's reports.
Contrasting Reports
Israeli defense forces claimed its troops had fired warning shots at individuals who came near them in a "threatening" way.
The organization declared there were no firearm incidents at the aid sites and alleged that United Nations of using "untrue and confusing" figures from Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry.
Future Implications
The organization's continuation had been indefinite since militant groups and the Israeli government approved a truce agreement to execute the initial stage of the American administration's peace initiative.
The agreement stated relief provision would take place "absent meddling from the both sides through the UN organizations and their partners, and the humanitarian medical organization, in conjunction with other international institutions not linked whatsoever" with Palestinian factions and Israeli authorities.
United Nations representative the international body's communicator said on Monday that the GHF's shutdown would have "no impact" on its operations "as we never partnered with them".
The official further mentioned that while additional assistance was reaching the Palestinian territory since the halt in hostilities began on early October, it was "not enough to meet all the needs" of the 2.1 million population.