The United Nations has criticized the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US- and Israel-backed organization, for failing to deliver aid safely to those in need. According to Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the GHF’s approach prioritizes Israeli military objectives over humanitarian needs.
“GHF, I think it’s fair to say, has been, from a principled humanitarian standpoint, a failure,” Laerke said. “They are not doing what a humanitarian operation should do, which is providing aid to people where they are, in a safe and secure manner.” The UN and major aid groups have refused to cooperate with the GHF due to concerns over its priorities.
The GHF began operations on May 26 after Israel cut off supplies to Gaza for over two months, sparking warnings of mass famine. Despite distributing over 18 million meals, the organization’s efforts have been deemed insufficient. Meanwhile, Israeli forces continue to target parts of Khan Younis in southern Gaza with artillery fire and ground attacks, deepening its ground operations.
At least 44 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks on Friday, according to medical sources. The besieged territory remains under a communications blackout, with Hamas denouncing Israel’s decision to cut communication lines as “a new aggressive step” in its “war of extermination”. Israel has forced civilians into the “safe zone” of al-Mawasi, a barren coastal strip with no infrastructure, which it has repeatedly bombed.
In the occupied West Bank, Israel sealed all crossings and checkpoints between Palestinian towns and cities, denying access to patients, including those in urgent need of medical care. Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa held an emergency cabinet meeting in response and activated crisis committees across the West Bank.
The UN report highlighted that the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s efforts were hindered by bureaucratic obstacles and restrictions imposed by the Israeli government. These constraints limited the foundation’s ability to deliver aid effectively, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.