Disputed American-supported Gaza Humanitarian Foundation Concludes Aid Operations
The debated, US and Israel-backed Gaza relief foundation declares it is terminating its humanitarian work in the Palestinian territory, after almost six months.
The organisation had previously halted its three food distribution sites in Gaza after the truce agreement between Hamas and Israel was implemented recently.
The organization attempted to bypass the UN as the main supplier of aid to Gaza's population.
International relief agencies refused to co-operate with its system, stating it was questionable and hazardous.
Numerous Gazans were lost their lives while attempting to obtain sustenance amid turbulent circumstances near the organization's distribution points, mostly by Israeli fire, as reported by United Nations.
Israel said its forces fired cautionary rounds.
Mission Completion
The GHF said on Monday 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 delivered to Palestinians.
The organization's top administrator, Jon Acree, 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 approach the organization demonstrated".
"The foundation's approach, in which Palestinian factions were unable to divert and benefit from humanitarian assistance, played a huge role in getting Hamas to the table and achieving a ceasefire."
Reactions and Responses
The militant group - which disputes allegations of misappropriation - approved the termination of the humanitarian foundation, as indicated by media.
A representative of declared the foundation should be made responsible for the harm it caused to Palestinians.
"We request all international human rights organisations to guarantee that responsibility is assigned after leading to casualties and wounds of thousands of Gazans and covering up the starvation policy practised by the Israeli government."
Operational Background
The foundation started work in Gaza on 26 May, a week after Israeli authorities had somewhat relaxed a total blockade on humanitarian and trade shipments to Gaza that lasted 11 weeks and caused severe shortages of essential supplies.
Three months later, a famine was declared in Gaza City.
The organization's sustenance provision locations in various parts of the Palestinian territory were managed by American private security firms and positioned in regions under Israeli military authority.
Humanitarian Concerns
United Nations agencies and their collaborators claimed the approach violated the core assistance standards of non-partisanship, even-handedness and self-determination, and that guiding distressed residents into military-controlled areas was intrinsically hazardous.
International human rights monitoring body reported it tracked the fatalities of no fewer than 859 Gazans trying to acquire sustenance in the vicinity of GHF sites between spring and summer months.
An additional 514 individuals were killed near the routes of UN and other aid convoys, it also mentioned.
The greater part of these people were lost their lives due to the Israeli forces, as per the organization's documentation.
Divergent Narratives
Israeli defense forces said its forces had discharged cautionary rounds at people who approached them in a "intimidating" manner.
The organization declared there were no shootings at the aid sites and accused the UN of using "untrue and confusing" statistics from Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry.
Future Implications
The organization's continuation had been uncertain since Palestinian factions and Israeli authorities consented a ceasefire deal to carry out the first phase of the United States' reconciliation proposal.
It said relief provision would take place "absent meddling from the two parties through the UN organizations and their partners, and the humanitarian medical organization, in combination with other international institutions not linked whatsoever" with Palestinian factions and Israeli authorities.
United Nations representative Stephane Dujarric stated recently that the GHF's shutdown would have "no impact" on its operations "since we never collaborated with them".
The official further mentioned that while additional assistance was reaching the Palestinian territory since the truce was implemented on 10 October, it was "inadequate to address all necessities" of the 2.1 million residents.