US-backed GHF claims it has distributed nearly nine million meals

US State Department is considering giving $500 million to the foundation, which has been criticised by aid groups, particularly after deaths at distribution sites

Displaced Palestinians walk along a road to receive aid packages from a US-backed foundation in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP

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The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation claimed on Saturday that it has distributed nearly nine million meals since launching its aid operations in Gaza, days after halting work in response to a series of deadly shootings close to its operations.

Israel eased an 11-week blockade on Gaza last month, but only a limited amount of humanitarian assistance has since entered through the UN and newly established GHF – a controversial US and Israeli-backed private organisation that is overhauling aid distribution in the strip.

The foundation began distributing aid last week as Gaza’s 2.3 million people face widespread hunger, with many having been displaced by the conflict. But its operations, which circumvent traditional humanitarian agencies, have drawn criticism from the UN and major aid groups, which say it does not obey humanitarian principles.

In its daily operational update, GHF said it delivered 471,240 meals on Friday in 8,160 food parcels, bringing the total number of meals distributed to 8,952,142 through 140,640 parcels since the start of the campaign.

GHF said the foundation was working to increase its delivery capacity, with the goal of reaching 4.5 million meals a day.

“GHF remains dedicated to securing the necessary quantities of food and essential items for all the good people of Gaza,” the organisation said in a statement.

The foundation also issued a public appeal for co-operation at distribution sites to ensure safety. Residents were urged not to crowd entry points, to respect the timing of official openings and to prioritise the elderly and women, according to the statement.

The organisation halted distributions on Wednesday and said it was pressing Israeli forces to improve civilian safety beyond the perimeter of its operations after dozens of Palestinians were shot dead near the Rafah site over three consecutive days.

The Israeli military said on Sunday and Monday its soldiers had fired warning shots, while on Tuesday they also fired warning shots before firing towards Palestinians that it said were advancing towards troops. GHF said that aid was safely handed out from its sites without any incident.

On Saturday, Reuters reported that the State Department is considering giving $500 million to GHF, citing two sources and two former US officials.

The sources and former US officials said that the money would come from the US Agency for International Development, which is being folded into the US State Department.

The plan has met resistance from some US officials concerned with the killings of Palestinians near aid distribution sites and the competence of the GHF, the two sources said.

Israel has faced mounting international criticism recently over its actions in Gaza, with the EU, in particular, adopting a noticeably tougher tone.

Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot told The National this week that his government had urged EU partners to expand the current sanctions list, which includes violent Israeli settlers and some Hamas figures, to include political and military leaders from Israel and Hamas. “This is currently under discussion and we hope it will be possible to reach a common decision among all EU member states,” he said.

He also noted that Belgium was exploring the possibility of using aircraft to drop aid into Gaza.

“We are trying to push, together with other European partners, to open a broader corridor for aid lorries coming from international donors through Israel to enter Palestinian territories,” said Mr Prevot, who is also Belgium's Deputy Prime Minister.

“In parallel, we are studying whether it is possible and pertinent to drop additional aid by aeroplane. What we are seeing on the ground is shameful and we urgently need to improve the international community’s response.”