🔗 Share this article

The debated, American and Israeli-supported GHF aid organization declares it is winding down its humanitarian work in the affected area, after almost six months.

The foundation had already suspended its multiple aid distribution centers in Gaza after the halt in hostilities between Palestinian factions and Israel took effect recently.

The GHF aimed to avoid UN systems as the chief distributor of humanitarian assistance to Gazans.

United Nations organizations and other humanitarian groups declined to participate with its system, saying it was improper and dangerous.

Many residents were lost their lives while seeking food amid disorderly situations near the organization's distribution points, mainly through Israeli military action, according to the UN.

The Israeli military claimed its forces fired alerting fire.

Program Termination

The organization declared on the beginning of the week that it was terminating work now because of the "effective conclusion of its emergency mission", with a aggregate of 3 million parcels containing the equivalent of more than 187 million meals provided to residents.

The GHF's executive director, the executive director, also said the United States-operated coordination body - which has been created to help implement the United States' Palestinian peace proposal - would be "taking over and developing the approach the organization demonstrated".

"The foundation's approach, in which Hamas could no longer loot and profit from stealing aid, was significantly influential in getting Hamas to the table and establishing a truce."

Reactions and Responses

The Palestinian faction - which refutes aid diversion claims - supported the shutdown of the aid organization, according to reports.

A spokesman for said the foundation should be held accountable for the negative impact it created to Palestinians.

"We urge all worldwide humanitarian bodies to make certain that consequences are faced after causing the death and injury of many residents and covering up the food deprivation strategy implemented by the Israel's administration."

Organization Timeline

The GHF began operations in Gaza on late May, a week after the Israeli government had moderately reduced a comprehensive closure on aid and commercial deliveries to Gaza that continued for 77 days and resulted in critical deficits of vital resources.

After 90 days, a nutritional emergency was proclaimed in the Gaza metropolitan area.

The foundation's nourishment distribution centers in the southern and middle regions of Gaza were managed by American private security firms and positioned in regions under Israeli military authority.

Relief Agency Issues

United Nations agencies and their collaborators claimed the system violated the fundamental humanitarian principles of neutrality, impartiality and independence, and that guiding distressed residents into armed forces regions was intrinsically hazardous.

International human rights monitoring body reported it tracked the deaths of a minimum of 859 residents seeking food in the vicinity of GHF sites between 26 May and 31 July.

Another 514 people were fatally wounded around the courses followed by international humanitarian deliveries, it also mentioned.

Most of them were lost their lives due to the Israeli military, as per the organization's documentation.

Divergent Narratives

Israeli defense forces stated its forces had fired warning shots at people who approached them in a "intimidating" way.

The foundation stated there were no shooting events at the relief locations and accused the UN of using "false and misleading" figures from Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry.

Subsequent Developments

The GHF's future had been uncertain since Palestinian factions and Israeli authorities consented a truce agreement to implement the primary segment of the American administration's peace initiative.

The arrangement specified humanitarian assistance would take place "free from intervention from the involved factions through the international bodies and their affiliates, and the international relief society, in conjunction with other global organizations not associated in any manner" with Hamas and Israel.

United Nations representative the UN spokesman said on Monday that the GHF's shutdown would have "zero effect" on its activities "as we never partnered with them".

The official further mentioned that while additional assistance was reaching the Palestinian territory since the ceasefire took effect on early October, it was "inadequate to address all necessities" of the 2.1 million population.