The United States has said it is establishing a new foundation to coordinate the aid delivered to Gaza through Israel's two-month lockdown.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told reporters on Friday that Israel will not be involved in distributing aid on the enclaves, but rather provide security for the operation of the Humanitarian Foundation of Gaza (GHF).
State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce announced plans for “charity” and “non-government” programs on Thursday. Although little details were revealed, it appears that it was part of the U.S.-Israel's efforts to take over the aid to prevent Hamas and other groups from diverting it.
AP News Agency reported that the newly created GHF has issued a proposal to implement a new aid distribution system, replacing the current operations of the United Nations and other international aid agencies.
According to the proposal, private contractors will be used to protect the hubs, where Palestinians will be needed to gather to collect supplies, the report claims.
Israel has stopped all aid to Gaza since March 2, deepening the humanitarian crisis, after saying it will not relax the lockdown until there is a system that makes it control it to its distribution and insists on using supply to support HAMAS.
The intention of the United Nations sideline business has attracted severe criticism from humanitarian organizations, and it is not clear whether the GHF proposal will alleviate these concerns.
Bruce promised to issue a further announcement on the proposal soon. "I hope to introduce it today, but the foundation will announce it soon," she said.
David Beasley, former executive director of the United Nations World Food Program, held talks with the United States, Israel and other major players to take charge of the GHF and covered our export axis, citing sources who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Israel's lockdown was implemented about two weeks before the resumption of the enclave bombing, and he left Gaza with 2.3 million Palestinians, most of whom have been displaced, repeatedly displaced, desperately desperate for food, fuel, fuel and medicine.
Israel's "Aid Program"
The design of the U.S. plan appears to be similar to the proposal approved by the Israeli security cabinet on Sunday.
Under the plan, four "safe distribution sites" will be built, each of which is designed to serve 300,000 people. Palestinians expelled from northern Gaza will be forced to move to the center.
Sharp criticism from the United Nations and other aid groups fits the plan, noting that Palestinians are frequently attacked by Israeli forces while collecting aid.
"The most important danger is not doing anything" and "the person who dies of starvation," Huckabee said in solving these problems.
According to Israel Daily Haaretz, U.S. officials insist that aid will be "distributed effectively, but also safe."
The decision to bypass international aid agencies was amid growing alarms of famine-like conditions in besieged territory, with Israel's almost complete lockdown cuts off for nearly three months.
At least 57 Palestinians starved to death in Gaza, with most of the victims being children, as well as patients and elderly people.
Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN Humanitarian Agency, condemned efforts to remove existing aid structures on Tuesday.
"It seems to be a deliberate attempt to provide weapons for aid," he said. "It should be based solely on humanitarian needs."