Fri May 09 11:58:00 UTC 2025: ## US Bypasses UN, Launches Controversial Gaza Aid Plan Amidst Blockade Crisis

**JERUSALEM** – The United States has announced the creation of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) to oversee aid distribution in the besieged Gaza Strip, bypassing established UN channels and sparking widespread condemnation. The plan, unveiled amidst Israel’s near-total blockade now entering its third month, aims to prevent aid from reaching Hamas while ensuring supplies reach Palestinian civilians.

The GHF, reportedly to be headed by a former UN World Food Programme executive, proposes a new system utilizing private contractors and designated distribution hubs. Palestinians would be required to travel to these secure locations to collect aid, a move criticized by aid organizations who point to the dangers faced by civilians collecting aid under previous circumstances.

Israel, which imposed the blockade two weeks before resuming its offensive in Gaza, will provide security for the GHF operations but will not be directly involved in distribution. This approach, echoing a similar Israeli proposal, aims to maintain control over aid distribution and prevent it from falling into Hamas hands.

The decision to circumvent the UN and other international aid agencies has been met with fierce opposition. UN officials have condemned the plan, calling it a deliberate attempt to weaponize humanitarian aid and accusing the US and Israel of prioritizing political control over the needs of the civilian population. Humanitarian organizations share these concerns, highlighting the risks to civilians forced to travel to designated collection points, particularly given a history of attacks on aid recipients.

The blockade has resulted in a severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with at least 57 Palestinians, including many children, the elderly, and the ill, reported to have died of starvation. Food, fuel, and medicine are critically scarce, leaving 2.3 million Palestinians facing famine-like conditions.

While US officials claim the GHF will deliver aid “effectively and safely,” critics argue the plan disrupts existing, well-established aid mechanisms and exacerbates the risks faced by vulnerable civilians already suffering under the blockade. The long-term effectiveness and humanitarian impact of the new foundation remain to be seen.

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