UN Experts Urge Immediate Dismantling of Gaza Humanitarian Foundation Over Alleged Military Exploitation
GENEVA: A group of United Nations special rapporteurs has called for the immediate dismantling of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), alleging that the Israel- and US-backed private organization is exploiting humanitarian aid for covert military and geopolitical purposes.
In a rare and strongly worded joint statement issued Tuesday, the UN-mandated experts expressed deep concern over GHF’s operations in the Gaza Strip, which began in May amid a partial easing of Israel’s aid blockade on the besieged Palestinian territory.
“The GHF is an utterly disturbing example of how humanitarian relief can be exploited for covert military and geopolitical agendas in serious breach of international law,” the rapporteurs said.
They warned of the involvement of Israeli intelligence, U.S. contractors, and vague non-governmental entities in GHF’s activities, calling it a “humanitarian camouflage” that undermines the credibility and neutrality of global aid efforts.
The statement added, “Labeling it ‘humanitarian’ is a dangerous misrepresentation and an insult to the standards and mission of the humanitarian sector.”
The criticism comes as the UN human rights office reported that since GHF began distributing aid in Gaza, more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces while attempting to access food, with nearly 75% of those fatalities occurring near GHF-operated distribution sites.
The experts warned that without accountability, humanitarian aid risks becoming a casualty of “modern hybrid warfare.”
They called for GHF and its leadership to be held accountable and for the responsibility of managing aid to be returned to experienced humanitarian actors under UN and civil society leadership.
“The credibility and effectiveness of humanitarian assistance must be restored by dismantling the GHF, holding it and its executives accountable, and allowing experienced and impartial organizations to take back the reins of lifesaving aid delivery,” the statement emphasized.
The call to dismantle GHF was led by Francesca Albanese, the UN’s Special Rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, and signed by 18 other special rapporteurs, as well as UN experts and working group members an unusually large coalition for such declarations.
Israel has accused Albanese of harboring an “obsessive, hate-driven agenda” against the state.
Despite the criticism, GHF says it has delivered over 1.76 million boxes of food in Gaza since May.
“We continue to improve our operations,” said GHF Executive Director John Acree on Monday. “We urge the international humanitarian community to join us; we have the scale and capacity to deliver more aid to the people of Gaza.”
More than two million people currently reside in Gaza, most of whom are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance amid ongoing conflict and siege conditions.