Disputed United States-funded Gaza Relief Group Terminates Relief Activities
The controversial, US and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) announces it is concluding its relief activities in the affected area, after almost six months.
The foundation had previously halted its three food distribution sites in Gaza after the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel came into force six weeks ago.
The GHF aimed to avoid UN systems as the main supplier of humanitarian assistance to Gazans.
United Nations organizations and other humanitarian groups declined to participate with its approach, saying it was improper and dangerous.
Many residents were fatally wounded while trying to acquire nourishment amid disorderly situations near the foundation's locations, primarily from Israeli forces, as reported by United Nations.
Israel said its forces fired warning shots.
Mission Completion
The foundation announced on recently that it was terminating work now because of the "satisfactory fulfillment of its crisis response", with a cumulative three million shipments containing the corresponding to over 187 million food portions delivered to Palestinians.
The GHF's executive director, the foundation leader, further mentioned the US-led Civil-Military Coordination Centre (CMCC) - which has been created to help implement 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, had major impact in bringing Palestinian factions to negotiations and establishing a truce."
Feedback and Statements
The militant group - which disputes allegations of misappropriation - supported the shutdown of the humanitarian foundation, based on information.
An official from said the organization should be made responsible for the negative impact it created to Palestinians.
"We request all international human rights organisations to guarantee that responsibility is assigned after causing the death and injury of thousands of Gazans and concealing the starvation policy practised by the Israeli authorities."
Organization Timeline
The organization commenced activities in Gaza on late May, a seven days following Israeli authorities had somewhat relaxed a complete restriction on aid and commercial deliveries to Gaza that lasted 11 weeks and led to substantial deficiencies of vital resources.
After 90 days, a nutritional emergency was proclaimed in the Gaza metropolitan area.
The organization's sustenance provision locations in southern and central Gaza were managed by US private security contractors and situated within regions under Israeli military authority.
Humanitarian Concerns
International organizations and their affiliates said the system breached the core assistance standards of objectivity, fairness and autonomy, and that guiding distressed residents into militarised zones was inherently unsafe.
International human rights monitoring body stated it documented the deaths of a minimum of 859 residents trying to acquire sustenance in the proximity to foundation locations between late May through end of July.
A further 514 persons were lost their lives close to the courses followed by international humanitarian deliveries, it further stated.
The greater part of these people were fatally wounded by the Israeli forces, according to the office.
Conflicting Accounts
Israel's armed services stated its troops had released alerting fire at persons who advanced toward them in a "menacing" manner.
The GHF said there were no firearm incidents at the distribution centers and alleged that United Nations of using "untrue and confusing" statistics from Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry.
Ongoing Situation
The GHF's future had been unclear since Palestinian factions and Israeli authorities consented a truce agreement to execute the first phase of the United States' reconciliation proposal.
It said humanitarian assistance would take place "without interference from the both sides through the United Nations and its agencies, and the international relief society, in addition to other global organizations not linked whatsoever" with Hamas and Israel.
International organization official the international body's communicator said on Monday that the organization's termination would have "no impact" on its work "as we never partnered with them".
The official further mentioned that while more aid was getting into Gaza since the ceasefire took effect on 10 October, it was "insufficient to meet all the needs" of the 2.1 million population.