Humanitarian aid or population control? The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation

The first four Israel-backed humanitarian food distribution centres opened in Gaza a week ago but their management is a matter of deep controversy.

The centres are run by a controversial US-based group named the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which has been criticised for violating core humanitarian principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence. At least 58 Palestinians have reportedly been killed near the centres

Concerns about Israeli involvement in aid distribution have been heightened by recent polls which show 65% of Israelis are unconcerned by Gaza's humanitarian crisis and 82% support expelling Palestinians from Gaza.

Israel halted all humanitarian aid into Gaza in early March, with government officials stating their goal was to force Hamas to accept new ceasefire terms and release hostages taken during the group’s terror attack on Israel on 7 October. The aid ban meant no supplies entered the territory for 11 weeks, pushing Gaza’s 2.1 million people deeper into a hunger crisis. A UN-backed report warned in late April that one in five people were facing starvation, with the entire Gaza Strip edging closer to famine.

Facing growing international pressure, Israel eased its blockade two weeks ago, allowing a small amount of aid to enter Gaza—distributed through UN channels and via the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). However, according to Palestinian officials and international aid groups, the aid trickling in remains far below what is needed to meet the population’s needs.

On the first day of GHF’s deliveries in southern Gaza last Tuesday, chaos erupted as thousands of Palestinians rushed to receive food. Israeli troops reportedly fired warning shots into the air, and US contractors overseeing the site briefly withdrew.

Dozens of Palestinians have been killed in recent days while trying to reach GHF distribution sites. Palestinian officials and witnesses accused Israeli forces of shooting civilians near one of the aid centres in Rafah on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, according to CNN.

On Monday and Tuesday, Israel’s military said it had fired “warning shots” at “suspects” approaching a military position and was investigating reports of casualties. On Sunday, following the first deadly shooting, the military claimed it did not fire at civilians “near or within” the aid site, although a military source admitted troops had fired towards individuals about a kilometre from the centre.

On Tuesday Israeli soldiers fired on Palestinian civilians making their way to the humanitarian aid distribution centers with the Red Cross saying at least 27 people were declared dead at its nearby field hospital after the shooting. The Israel Defense Forces have confirmed its soldiers opened fire but claimed they shot far fewer than 27 people.

GHF announced that its distribution sites would be closed on Wednesday for logistical preparations and to allow the Israeli military to secure access routes. The closure is expected to last one day.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) is a private, non-profit organisation created with backing from Israel and the US to take over aid delivery in Gaza, following Israeli accusations that Hamas was diverting humanitarian aid meant for civilians. GHF relies on private military contractors for security and aims to replace traditional aid delivery methods used by established humanitarian organisations.

GHF’s aid is overseen by Israeli troops before being delivered by contracted US security personnel. A source familiar with the plan told Reuters that the foundation had received over US$100 million (AU$155 million) in commitments before operations began, though it remains unclear where the funding originated.

The foundation is currently operating from four distribution sites in southern and central Gaza—far fewer than the 400 points previously used by the UN before Israel’s blockade.

Most of Gaza’s population is located in the north—where no aid hubs are currently established—or in central Gaza. People must cross Israeli military lines to reach the hubs near Rafah. The foundation coordinates with the Israeli military to designate specific access routes through Gaza and posts warnings on Facebook advising people not to deviate from these roads.

People seeking aid must reportedly walk along a narrow fenced corridor into a larger compound. Once inside, they undergo ID checks and eye scans. This system has resulted in long hours of queuing in the heat, and chaotic scenes have been reported, including people breaking down fences to access supplies.

As of Tuesday, the GHF claims to have delivered more than seven million meals. It claims more hubs will be set up within 30 days, including in the north, although exact locations were not specified. According to GHF, Israel has agreed to expand the number of distribution sites and explore ways to deliver aid to civilians unable to reach them.

Last week, the head of GHF, Jake Wood, resigned, stating the operation could not fulfil its mission in a way that adhered to “humanitarian principles”.

On Tuesday, Johnnie Moore, an evangelical leader and former adviser to Donald Trump on interfaith issues, was appointed as his replacement. Moore said he could not guarantee the foundation’s independence from Israeli interests. He had previously endorsed a controversial Trump proposal for the US to “take over” Gaza, posting in February on X: “The USA will take full responsibility for future of Gaza, giving everyone hope & a future.”

In a further blow to GHF, the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) confirmed it had cancelled its contract with GHF.

The GHF scheme had already drawn criticism before the shootings, both from Palestinians and international aid organisations. The distance people must travel to access aid is a key concern. UNICEF spokesperson Jonathan Crick asked: “How is a mother of four children, who has lost her husband, going to carry 20kg back to her makeshift tent, sometimes several kilometres away?”

Dr Irit Katz, writing in The Conversation, argued: “In concentrating these sites while extensively demolishing habitable areas in the Strip, Israel is effectively weaponising essential civilian mechanisms against Palestinians. The aid scheme appears to prioritise political and territorial objectives over the humanitarian distribution of aid.”

Katz continued: “The GHF system enables Israel to further concentrate civilians into makeshift encampments. Here they face inadequate and unhygienic conditions and shelter. These are particularly unsafe for women and children, while also being vulnerable to attacks by the Israeli military.” She also warned that biometric screening could become a tool of coercive control, rather than a means of humanitarian assistance.

In response to reports of deaths and injuries, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said Monday he was “appalled” and described the situation as “unacceptable”. “It is unacceptable that Palestinians are risking their lives for food,” Guterres stated, calling for an “immediate and independent investigation” and accountability for any perpetrators.

While the foundation has drawn widespread criticism, Alex de Waal, executive director of the World Peace Foundation at Tufts University, described it as “better than nothing”. De Waal, an expert on humanitarian crises, said the strategy behind the aid appeared to be to provide just enough for Gaza’s civilians to survive while isolating Hamas through starvation.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s (GHF) aid operations are taking place within a broader political and ideological context that raises serious concerns about intent and long-term implications. A recent survey conducted by Professor Tamir Sorek of Pennsylvania State University, alongside Professor Shay Hazkani, and published in Haaretz, highlights the extent of eliminatory attitudes among the Israeli Jewish public.

According to the findings, 82% of Jewish Israelis support “the transfer (expulsion) of residents of the Gaza Strip to other countries,” with more than half—54%—saying they are “very” supportive. These attitudes are not limited to Gaza: 56% of respondents also backed the forced expulsion of Arab citizens of Israel.

Perhaps most disturbing, nearly 47% of those surveyed agreed with the notion that the Israeli military should behave as the Israelites did at Jericho—killing all inhabitants—when conquering an enemy city.

An earlier poll, published by Israel's Channel 12 in January found 72% of Israelis supported blocking humanitarian aid to Gaza.

These findings lend weight to growing criticism that recent humanitarian and military strategies in Gaza may be informed not only by security concerns but by a deeper ideological push to displace Palestinians permanently. Critics argue that initiatives like the GHF and related "Day After" plans risk serving as a smokescreen for population control and forced transfer, rather than purely humanitarian relief.

READ MORE

Aid distribution in Gaza has turned deadly. Here’s what to know (CNN)

A grim poll showed most Jewish Israelis support expelling Gazans. It's brutal - and it's true (Dahlia Schindlin, Haaretz)

Lethal humanitarianism: why violence at Gaza aid centres should not come as a surprise (Irit Katz, The Conversation)

Mass casualties and inner turmoil define first week of US-led aid distribution in Gaza (Haaretz)

Gaza relief initiative unravels as senior officials quit, advisory firm withdraws (Ynetnews)

Israel warns Palestinians against travel on roads to Gaza aid hubs, labelling them ‘combat zones’ (The Guardian)

Israeli troops shoot Palestinian civilians approaching new aid centers (Axios)

Mediators press Hamas to agree to 60-day Gaza cease-fire, commitment to continue negotiations (Haaretz)

Majority of Israelis unconcerned by humanitarian aid situation in Gaza - poll (Jerusalem Post)

Yes to Transfer: 82% of Jewish Israelis Back Expelling Gazans (Haaretz)