More than 130 humanitarian organisations, including Oxfam, Save the Children, and Amnesty International, have called for the immediate shutdown of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an aid initiative backed by the United States and Israel. The coalition of aid groups says the foundation is not only failing to deliver aid safely but is also placing desperate Palestinians in direct danger.
In a joint statement released Tuesday, the organisations accuse Israeli forces and armed groups of routinely opening fire on civilians trying to access food and essential supplies at GHF distribution sites. Since the GHF began operating in late May following a three-month Israeli blockade over 500 Palestinians have reportedly been killed while seeking aid, with nearly 4,000 others injured.
The GHF replaced a broader aid network of 400 distribution points that had functioned during the brief Israel-Hamas ceasefire, consolidating them into just four military-controlled sites. These are heavily monitored and located far from many densely populated areas in Gaza, forcing people to traverse dangerous territory to reach food.
“Today, Palestinians in Gaza face an impossible choice: starve or risk being shot while trying desperately to reach food to feed their families,” the joint statement reads. Children, including orphans, and caregivers have been among the casualties, with aid groups reporting that over half of the attacks involve minors.
UN agencies have also condemned the GHF. UN Secretary-General António Guterres recently described the system as “inherently unsafe,” warning it militarises aid delivery and further endangers civilians.
Although Israel denies its forces are deliberately targeting aid recipients, internal reports—such as one from Israeli newspaper Haaretz allege that Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers were instructed to shoot at civilians near aid sites to deter crowds. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed these claims as “malicious falsehoods.”
In response to growing criticism, the IDF has announced changes to aid site access, including new fencing and clearer signposting. However, the aid organisations remain firm, declaring that the GHF “is not a humanitarian response” and must be dismantled to prevent further civilian harm.
