130 charities demand shutdown of US-Israeli backed Gaza aid group
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Charities say the GHF violates the core principles of humanitarian work and must be shut down.
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A Palestinian carries a bag containing food and humanitarian aid delivered by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a US-backed organization in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, on June 11, 2025 (AP)
More than 130 charities and NGOs are calling for the closure of the Israeli and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which they describe as deeply flawed and dangerous.
According to the organizations, including Oxfam, Save the Children, and Amnesty International, over 500 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 4,000 have been injured while trying to access aid since the GHF began operating in late May, following a three-month Israeli blockade of Gaza.
The joint statement accuses Israeli forces and armed groups of "routinely" firing on civilians seeking aid and argues that the GHF has created overcrowded, militarized zones where two million Palestinians are forced to risk their lives for basic supplies.
The occupation has defended the foundation, claiming that it ensures direct assistance reaches civilians without being diverted by the Palestinian Resistance movement, Hamas.
The charities, however, say the GHF violates core principles of humanitarian work and must be shut down immediately.
UN condemnation, mounting allegations
Since the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) began operations, near-daily reports from medics, eyewitnesses, and the Hamas-run health ministry have described Israeli forces killing civilians attempting to access aid.
The GHF system replaced around 400 aid distribution points set up during the temporary Israel-Hamas ceasefire, with just four heavily militarized sites: three in Gaza’s far southwest and one in the central region.
"Today, Palestinians in Gaza face an impossible choice: starve or risk being shot while trying desperately to reach food to feed their families," the joint NGO statement said.
It noted that children and their caregivers are among the dead and that over half the attacks at these sites have resulted in harm to minors.
Growing condemnation
The aid system has faced growing condemnation from international bodies, including UN agencies. UN Secretary-General António Guterres called it “inherently unsafe” during remarks last Friday.
From the outset, the UN criticized the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) plan, warning it would militarize aid, dismantle existing distribution networks, and force Palestinians to travel long distances through dangerous areas to access food.
The Israeli military has said it is investigating reports of civilians being "harmed" while approaching GHF distribution sites.
However, a report published Friday by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz cited unnamed Israeli occupation forces (IOF) soldiers who claimed they were instructed to fire at unarmed civilians near aid centers in order to disperse crowds.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vehemently denied the allegations, calling them "malicious falsehoods", and the Israeli military also rejected claims that its forces intentionally targeted Palestinians waiting for humanitarian aid.
Aid groups reject Israeli adjustments
In a statement on Monday, the Israeli military announced it is reorganizing access to Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) distribution sites, including plans to install new fencing and add directional and warning signs to improve operational control.
However, more than 130 aid organizations rejected the move, insisting that the GHF "is not a humanitarian response" for the people of Gaza.
"Amidst severe hunger and famine-like conditions, many families tell us they are now too weak to compete for food rations," the groups emphasized.
