Controversial American-supported GHF Aid Organization Ends Aid Operations
The debated, United States and Israel-funded Gaza relief foundation says it is terminating its humanitarian work in the Palestinian territory, after almost six months.
The group had earlier paused its three food distribution sites in Gaza after the halt in hostilities between Palestinian factions and Israel took effect recently.
The GHF aimed to bypass the UN as the chief distributor of humanitarian assistance to Gazans.
UN and other aid agencies declined to participate with its system, claiming it was improper and dangerous.
Many residents were killed while seeking food amid turbulent circumstances near GHF's sites, mainly through Israeli military action, based on UN documentation.
The Israeli military claimed its forces fired cautionary rounds.
Operation Conclusion
The organization declared on Monday that it was terminating work now because of the "successful completion of its crisis response", with a total of three million packages containing the corresponding to over 187 million food portions distributed to Gazans.
The foundation's chief officer, the foundation leader, also said the United States-operated coordination body - which has been set up to help carry out the United States' Palestinian peace proposal - would be "implementing and enlarging the system the foundation tested".
"GHF's model, in which Palestinian factions were unable to divert and benefit from humanitarian assistance, had major impact in getting Hamas to the table and achieving a ceasefire."
Comments and Positions
The militant group - which disputes allegations of misappropriation - approved the termination of the humanitarian foundation, as indicated by media.
A spokesman for stated the foundation should be held accountable for the negative impact it created to local residents.
"We urge all global human rights groups to guarantee that responsibility is assigned after causing the death and injury of thousands of Gazans and concealing the food deprivation strategy practised by the Israeli authorities."
Organization Timeline
The organization commenced activities in Gaza on late May, a short period subsequent to Israeli authorities had somewhat relaxed a complete restriction on aid and commercial deliveries to Gaza that persisted for nearly three months and led to substantial deficiencies of vital resources.
Three months later, a food crisis was announced in the Palestinian urban center.
The foundation's nourishment distribution centers in the southern and middle regions of Gaza were administered by American private security firms and situated within areas controlled by Israeli forces.
Relief Agency Issues
United Nations agencies and their collaborators stated the approach violated the core assistance standards of objectivity, fairness and autonomy, and that guiding distressed residents into military-controlled areas was fundamentally dangerous.
International human rights monitoring body stated it documented the killing of at least 859 Palestinians trying to acquire sustenance in the area surrounding organization centers between spring and summer months.
Another 514 people were killed near the paths taken by United Nations and additional relief shipments, it added.
The majority of these individuals were killed by the Israeli forces, as per the organization's documentation.
Conflicting Accounts
The Israeli military stated its troops had fired warning shots at persons who advanced toward them in a "intimidating" manner.
The organization declared there were no shooting events at the distribution centers and alleged that United Nations of using "inaccurate and deceptive" statistics from the Palestinian health authority administered by Hamas.
Ongoing Situation
The foundation's prospects had been uncertain since Palestinian factions and Israeli authorities consented a truce agreement to implement the primary segment of the United States' reconciliation proposal.
It said aid distribution would take place "without interference from the two parties through the UN organizations and their partners, and the humanitarian medical organization, in conjunction with other global organizations not associated in any manner" with Hamas and Israel.
International organization official 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 spokesperson additionally stated that while more aid was getting into Gaza since the ceasefire took effect on early October, it was "inadequate to meet all the needs" of the over two million inhabitants.