GENEVA - UN experts* today expressed grave concern over the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's (GHF) operations, saying Palestinians are paying the ultimate price of the international community's legal, political and moral failure.
The experts recalled that under international humanitarian law, Israel as the occupying power has binding obligations to the people under its control. As per Geneva Convention IV and the Hague Regulations, civilians in occupied territory must be protected and provided with essential services. Humanitarian relief operations must be protected and facilitated, but must also strictly respect the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence.
"The GHF, a non-governmental organisation created by Israel in February 2025, with US support, to allegedly distribute aid in Gaza, 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 experts said. "The entanglement of Israeli intelligence, US contractors and ambiguous non-governmental entities underlines the urgent need for robust international oversight and action under UN auspices."
"Under any circumstances, when war crimes are overlooked in exchange for temporary relief, impunity can become normalised. Yet, in this case, we are leaving a State accused of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in charge of feeding the population affected by the genocide without oversight and with impunity. This overt hypocrisy is disturbing," the experts said.
Israeli forces and foreign military contractors continue to open indiscriminate fire on people seeking aid at so-called "distribution sites" operated by GHF, since it was set up to take-over functions previously performed by United Nations agencies, most notably UNRWA, the UN's aid agency for Palestinian refugees. Nearly 1400 people have been killed and more than 4000 injured while seeking food. At least 859 people have been killed around GHF sites since the beginning of GHF's operations in late May 2025. The sites are especially difficult to access to the most vulnerable conditions, such as women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons. Calling it "humanitarian" adds on to Israel's humanitarian camouflage and is an insult to the humanitarian enterprise and standards," the experts said.
This tragic development comes amid the forced displacement of over 90 per cent of the population and a staggering death toll is now more than 60,000 people in Gaza. Only in the last few weeks, the Ministry of Health in Gaza has reported 180 deaths due to malnutrition, including 93 children.
"Seeing children dying of hunger in their parents' arms should shake us out of our complacency," the experts said.
"Blocking or delaying aid is not just inhumane - it is a war crime where it is intended to starve civilians and in the context of a well-documented and globally denounced genocide," the experts said.
"Securing access to food, water, medicine and critical services is not a matter of charity - it is a legal duty, all the more in the illegally occupied Palestinian territory. We must recall that the ICJ has found the Israeli occupation to be unlawful and ordered Israel to withdraw its troops, dismantle the settlements, and stop exploiting Palestinian resources while racially segregating Palestinians," the experts said. "Israel must comply with the ICJ decision, and Member States are required to support its enforcement."
"Without clear accountability, the very idea of humanitarian relief may ultimately become a casualty of modern hybrid warfare," they said.
"The credibility and effectiveness of humanitarian assistance must be restored by dismantling the GHF, holding it and its executives accountable, and allowing experienced and humanitarian actors from the UN and civil society alike to take back the reins of managing and distributing lifesaving aid."
The experts urged Member States to impose a full arms embargo on Israel due to its multiple violations of international law, and suspend trade and investment agreements that may result in harming the Palestinians and hold corporate entities accountable.
