The US has unveiled a controversial plan to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza through private companies, bypassing traditional UN channels. Ambassador Mike Huckabee confirmed that distribution centers, guarded by private security, will provide food and supplies to over a million Palestinians. While the US claims this will prevent Hamas from diverting aid, the UN has refused to participate, calling the scheme a violation of humanitarian principles. With Gaza’s famine crisis worsening, this move could deepen suffering rather than alleviate it.
The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has outright rejected the plan, arguing it “weaponizes” aid by placing it under a militarized framework. Jens Laerke, an OCHA spokesman, stated that the proposal clashes with the core values of neutral humanitarian work. Meanwhile, Gaza’s situation grows more dire — food prices have skyrocketed, community kitchens are shutting down, and over 90% of the population is displaced. The US-backed initiative risks further destabilizing an already catastrophic crisis.
The newly formed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) will oversee aid distribution, but critics question its transparency and capacity. A leaked GHF document outlines plans to feed just 1.2 million people — far fewer than Gaza’s 2.1 million residents. The UN, which currently operates 400 distribution points, warns that the US-Israeli plan is insufficient and logistically flawed. Worse, forcing civilians to collect aid in militarized zones could exclude the most vulnerable — children, the elderly, and the sick.
Israel insists the new system will prevent Hamas from stealing supplies, but aid agencies dispute this claim. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports zero looting of its medical shipments, while UN mechanisms have successfully delivered aid when allowed. The real bottleneck? Israel’s blockade, which has cut off food, fuel, and medicine since March. With famine looming, the US plan appears more about political maneuvering than solving Gaza’s humanitarian nightmare.
The timing of this proposal is suspect — coming just before President Trump’s visit to Gulf states, likely to seek funding. Meanwhile, Israel’s military is already setting up “sterile zones” in Rafah, raising fears that aid will be used to forcibly displace Palestinians further. UN officials warn that this scheme could set a dangerous precedent, undermining humanitarian operations worldwide by tying aid to military objectives.
As families in Gaza queue for hours for scraps of food, the world watches a failed system being replaced by an untested, politically charged alternative. Umm Ahmed, a mother in Jabalia, told the BBC: “I’d rather die than leave my home for aid.” With the UN sidelined and Gaza’s people trapped between war and starvation, this US-led plan may only deepen the crisis — not resolve it.
The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has outright rejected the plan, arguing it “weaponizes” aid by placing it under a militarized framework. Jens Laerke, an OCHA spokesman, stated that the proposal clashes with the core values of neutral humanitarian work. Meanwhile, Gaza’s situation grows more dire — food prices have skyrocketed, community kitchens are shutting down, and over 90% of the population is displaced. The US-backed initiative risks further destabilizing an already catastrophic crisis.
The newly formed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) will oversee aid distribution, but critics question its transparency and capacity. A leaked GHF document outlines plans to feed just 1.2 million people — far fewer than Gaza’s 2.1 million residents. The UN, which currently operates 400 distribution points, warns that the US-Israeli plan is insufficient and logistically flawed. Worse, forcing civilians to collect aid in militarized zones could exclude the most vulnerable — children, the elderly, and the sick.
Israel insists the new system will prevent Hamas from stealing supplies, but aid agencies dispute this claim. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports zero looting of its medical shipments, while UN mechanisms have successfully delivered aid when allowed. The real bottleneck? Israel’s blockade, which has cut off food, fuel, and medicine since March. With famine looming, the US plan appears more about political maneuvering than solving Gaza’s humanitarian nightmare.
The timing of this proposal is suspect — coming just before President Trump’s visit to Gulf states, likely to seek funding. Meanwhile, Israel’s military is already setting up “sterile zones” in Rafah, raising fears that aid will be used to forcibly displace Palestinians further. UN officials warn that this scheme could set a dangerous precedent, undermining humanitarian operations worldwide by tying aid to military objectives.
As families in Gaza queue for hours for scraps of food, the world watches a failed system being replaced by an untested, politically charged alternative. Umm Ahmed, a mother in Jabalia, told the BBC: “I’d rather die than leave my home for aid.” With the UN sidelined and Gaza’s people trapped between war and starvation, this US-led plan may only deepen the crisis — not resolve it.
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