Fri Jun 13 15:05:21 UTC 2025: **Summary:**
A UN spokesperson condemned the Israeli- and U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) as a “failure” from a humanitarian perspective, stating it is not delivering aid safely to those in need. The UN and major aid groups refuse to cooperate with the GHF due to concerns it prioritizes Israeli military objectives. Amid escalating violence, including Israeli attacks that killed over 30 Palestinians and continued military operations in Khan Younis, Gaza remains under a communications blackout. Israel continues to force civilians into the unsafe “safe zone” of al-Mawasi. In the occupied West Bank, crossings are sealed, ambulances are being denied access, and Al-Aqsa Mosque is closed.
**News Article:**
**UN Slams Gaza Humanitarian Foundation as a “Failure” Amid Escalating Violence**
**Geneva, Switzerland** – The United Nations has strongly criticized the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an organization backed by Israel and the United States, labeling it a “failure” in its mission to provide aid to the besieged Gaza Strip.
Speaking to reporters in Geneva on Friday, Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), stated that aid operations have been severely hampered by the GHF’s inability to deliver supplies safely and securely to those in need. “GHF, I think it’s fair to say, has been, from a principled humanitarian standpoint, a failure,” Laerke said. “They are not doing what a humanitarian operation should do, which is providing aid to people where they are, in a safe and secure manner.”
The UN and several major aid organizations have refused to collaborate with the GHF, citing concerns that it prioritizes Israeli military objectives over the urgent humanitarian needs of the Gazan population.
The criticism comes amidst a backdrop of escalating violence in the region. On Friday, over 30 Palestinians were reportedly killed in Israeli attacks, and Israeli forces are intensifying ground operations in Khan Younis, according to Al Jazeera reports. Gaza remains under a communications blackout for the second consecutive day.
Meanwhile, Israel is continuing to force civilians into the designated “safe zone” of al-Mawasi, a barren coastal strip lacking infrastructure, which has itself been repeatedly targeted by Israeli strikes. A drone strike on a tent in al-Mawasi on Friday resulted in at least two fatalities.
The situation is further complicated by tightened restrictions in the occupied West Bank, where Israel sealed all crossings and checkpoints between Palestinian towns and cities following air strikes on targets in Iran. The Palestine Red Crescent Society reports that its ambulances are being denied access to patients, including those in need of urgent medical care. In occupied East Jerusalem, Israeli forces closed Al-Aqsa Mosque, preventing Palestinians from attending Friday prayers.
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa convened an emergency cabinet meeting and activated crisis committees across the West Bank in response to the escalating crisis. The international community is facing increasing pressure to address the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza and the wider occupied Palestinian territories.