As global calls intensify for urgent humanitarian aid to Gaza, Israel appears to be shifting its strategy. A letter obtained by The Associated Press reveals that Israeli authorities may allow long-standing humanitarian organizations in the Palestinian enclave to manage the distribution of non-food assistance. Food distribution, however, would fall under the responsibility of a newly established U.S.-backed group: the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
The letter, dated May 22 and signed by GHF director Jake Wood, is addressed to COGAT, the Israeli military agency that coordinates aid entry into Gaza. It outlines an agreement allowing the United Nations and other aid agencies to continue handling medical supplies, hygiene products, and shelter materials, while GHF would oversee food delivery. A transition period would see both sides working together on this task.
“GHF acknowledges that we do not possess the technical capacity or field infrastructure to manage such distributions independently and fully support the leadership of these established humanitarian actors,” the letter states. The foundation confirmed the letter’s authenticity and said the agreement with Israel was the result of persistent negotiations.
This move marks a potential retreat from Israel’s initial stance of tightly controlling all incoming aid and sidelining agencies that have operated in Gaza for years. Israeli authorities have argued that Hamas diverts humanitarian supplies, a claim strongly disputed by the United Nations and other aid organizations, which say there is no significant evidence of such diversion.
The UN has rejected Israel’s plan, stating it allows the use of food as a weapon, violates fundamental humanitarian principles, and will not be effective in addressing the growing crisis. For nearly three months, Israel has blocked the entry of food, fuel, medicine, and other supplies, deepening a humanitarian catastrophe for Gaza’s 2.3 million residents. Warnings of imminent famine are multiplying, along with mounting international criticism—even from traditional allies like the United States.
GHF has come under increasing scrutiny. This week, Geneva-based advocacy group TRIAL International announced it would take legal action to push Swiss authorities to monitor the foundation, which is registered in Switzerland. Despite the criticism, a GHF spokesperson—speaking anonymously per the foundation’s policy—stressed that GHF operates independently of Israeli control and adheres to humanitarian principles. He also clarified that the foundation’s armed guards are not involved in military operations but serve a protective function in a highly volatile environment.
The war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants launched an attack on southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and kidnapping another 251. In response, Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed more than 53,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count.
