There is a proposal from the US-backed Gaza Foundation to protect aid from Hamas, but critics slumped the bypass of the United Nations, an Israeli threat to besiege Palestinian civilians.
The US says a new foundation is being established for coordinating the delivery of aid to Gaza amid Israel’s two-month lockdown.
Israeli Ambassador Mike Huckabee told reporters Friday that Israel is not involved in distributing aid to the enclaves, but will provide security for the operations of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
Plans for the “charity” and “non-governmental” initiative were announced Thursday by State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce. Although little details have been revealed, it appears to be part of the US Israeli push to take over the distribution of aid to prevent it from being detoured to Hamas and other groups.
The Associated Press reported that the newly created GHF has issued a proposal to implement a new aid delivery system, replacing the current aid systems currently run by the United Nations and other international aid agencies.
The report claims that under the proposal, private contractors will be used to secure a hub where Palestinians need to gather to gather supplies.
Israel, which deepened its humanitarian crisis and stopped invasion of all aid into Gaza since March 2, has said it will not ease the lockdown until a system in place where systems previously had systems controlling distribution control are installed, claiming that supply will be used to support Hamas.
The intention to stand by the United Nations draws sharp criticism from humanitarian organisations, and it is unclear whether the GHF proposal will alleviate those concerns.
Bruce promised that further announcements about the proposal would follow soon. “I wanted to show you it today, but the foundation will be releasing it soon,” she said.
David Beasley, former executive director of the United Nations World Food Program, is in talks with the US, Israel and other key players who lead the GHF.
The Israeli blockade took place about two weeks before the enclave fire resumed, leaving Gaza’s 2.3 million Palestinians.
Israel’s “assistance plan”
The US plan appears to be designed in line with a similar policy to the proposal approved by Israeli security cabinet on Sunday.
Under the scheme, four “safe distribution sites” have been built, each with the aim of serving 300,000 people. Palestinians exiled from northern Gaza are forced to move to reach the centre.
The plan was met with incisive criticism from the United Nations and other aid groups that pointed to Palestinians being regularly attacked by Israeli forces whilst gathering aid.
Addressing these concerns, Huckabee on Friday said “the most important danger is to do nothing” and “people who die of hunger.”
According to Israel’s Daily Harletts, US officials argued that the aid would be “not only effectively distributed, but safely distributed.”
The decision to bypass international aid agencies comes amid an increase in warnings against situations like hunger on besieged territory. There, for almost three months, it has shut down all critical supplies in Israel.
At least 57 Palestinians died of starvation in Gaza. Most of the victims are not just children, but children and the elderly.
Jens Laerke, a spokesman for the UN Humanitarian Agency, condemned efforts to dismantle existing aid structures on Tuesday.
“This seems like a deliberate attempt to weaponize aid,” he said. “It should be based solely on humanitarian needs.”