NGOs Demand Shutdown Of Deadly Israeli Gaza Aid Program/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Over 165 international NGOs are demanding Israel and the U.S. end Gaza’s controversial aid program, citing deadly violence near distribution sites. Recent strikes and clashes have killed scores of Palestinians seeking food. Netanyahu’s upcoming Washington visit could spotlight Gaza’s crisis.
Gaza Humanitarian Fund Crisis Quick Looks
- Over 165 NGOs call to shut down Gaza aid mechanism
- Aid hubs linked to over 500 Palestinian deaths in weeks
- At least 7 killed seeking aid Monday and Tuesday
- GHF criticized for chaotic, militarized food distribution
- Israel says Hamas siphons off traditional aid
- Fuel shortages shut Gaza dialysis unit, risking patient deaths
- Netanyahu to meet Trump as Gaza war overshadows talks
- Strikes kill civilians, damage UNRWA school shelter
Deep Look
NGOs Demand Shutdown Of Israeli-Backed Gaza Humanitarian Fund Amid Deadly Chaos
CAIRO (AP) — A growing chorus of global humanitarian organizations on Tuesday demanded an immediate halt to a controversial Israeli and U.S.-backed aid operation in Gaza, warning that the militarized program has sparked deadly chaos and put desperate Palestinians in further danger as they seek food for survival.
The call comes as Gaza reels from ongoing bombardment, deadly Israeli airstrikes, and an intensifying humanitarian catastrophe.
Deadly Toll Around Gaza Aid Distribution
Between late Monday and early Tuesday, at least seven Palestinians were killed while attempting to secure food aid in southern and central Gaza, local hospitals reported.
Those deaths followed a brutal Monday in which Israeli forces killed at least 74 Palestinians in Gaza, including 30 people struck while gathering at a seaside cafe and 23 others shot amid frantic crowds trying to collect food.
An 11-year-old girl was also killed Tuesday when an Israeli airstrike hit her family’s tent west of Khan Younis, according to the Kuwait field hospital.
The United Nations’ Palestinian relief agency, UNRWA, said Israeli forces struck one of its schools sheltering displaced people in Gaza City. Although the attack caused extensive damage, there were no casualties.
Charities Slam Gaza Humanitarian Fund
More than 165 humanitarian groups—including Oxfam, Save the Children, and Amnesty International—issued a joint statement on Tuesday demanding the Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF) be dismantled.
“Palestinians in Gaza face an impossible choice: starve or risk being shot while trying desperately to reach food to feed their families,” the groups said.
Launched on May 26 after Israel’s nearly three-month blockade pushed over two million people toward famine, the GHF has delivered more than 52 million meals in five weeks, according to its leaders.
Yet Gaza’s Health Ministry reports over 500 Palestinians have been killed near GHF distribution hubs amid widespread chaos and violence. The hubs, guarded by armed contractors, are often close to Israeli military positions, forcing Palestinians to traverse dangerous terrain for basic supplies.
GHF Defends Its Operations
In a statement Tuesday, GHF defended its record, rejecting accusations of violence around its centers.
“Instead of bickering and throwing insults from the sidelines, we would welcome other humanitarian groups to join us and feed the people in Gaza,” the organization said. “At the end of the day, the Palestinian people need to be fed.”
Israel has argued the new aid system is necessary because Hamas has historically siphoned off traditional humanitarian assistance. However, the UN and other aid groups insist there’s no evidence of significant diversion and denounce the GHF model as a violation of humanitarian principles.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Tuesday.
Humanitarian Disaster Worsens
The toll of Israel’s offensive has been staggering. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than 56,000 Palestinians have died since the war erupted in October 2023, triggered by Hamas’ attack that killed about 1,200 Israelis and took 251 hostages. The ministry’s figures do not distinguish between civilians and combatants, though it says over half of those killed were women and children.
Meanwhile, hospitals in Gaza are reaching the brink. On Tuesday, Shifa Hospital in Gaza City announced it was suspending dialysis treatments due to a severe fuel shortage needed to run generators. The health ministry warned that without fuel deliveries, patients and the wounded would die.
“The continued lack of fuel means the inevitable death of all patients and wounded in hospitals,” the ministry said.
Funeral Prayers For Victims
The human cost remains heartbreaking. Mourners gathered Tuesday in central Gaza for funeral prayers for seven family members killed in an Israeli airstrike late Monday in the town of Zawaida. Among the dead were two parents, two siblings, and three grandchildren, according to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah.
Netanyahu Heads To Washington Amid Gaza Crisis
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is preparing to travel to Washington next week to meet President Donald Trump and other administration officials. While Netanyahu mentioned only a trade deal during a Tuesday cabinet meeting, the Gaza conflict is expected to loom large in discussions.
Trump has recently signaled readiness to help negotiate an end to Israel’s war with Hamas, even as he juggles fallout from recent U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran.
Violence Spills Into West Bank
Meanwhile, tensions continue to spill beyond Gaza. The Palestinian Health Ministry in the occupied West Bank said Israeli forces killed two Palestinians, including a 15-year-old, in separate incidents Tuesday. The Israeli military said it was investigating.
Global Calls For Change
As the crisis deepens, NGOs and humanitarian organizations are amplifying calls for a new approach to aid in Gaza.
“This dangerous aid system must end immediately,” said an Oxfam spokesperson. “We need safe, coordinated humanitarian corridors, not militarized food handouts that risk civilian lives.”
Whether Netanyahu’s Washington visit leads to concrete changes for Gaza remains uncertain. For now, the deadly clash over how to feed a starving population continues, with no end in sight.
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