UN Refuses to Cooperatively Distribute Aid as Reported Hunger Grows in Gaza

Latest Developments

UN Rejects Help to Deliver Aid to Gazans: The United Nations rejected offers by the U.S.- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) to deliver much-needed humanitarian aid to Gazan civilians that is sitting undelivered inside the Gaza Strip despite the United Nations’ own warnings about widespread hunger. “We’ve been sounding the alarm for weeks on the need for more aid in Gaza while we’ve seen aid by the UN and other organizations being piled near the borders but not being delivered,” GHF Interim Director John Acree said. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric rejected the offer on July 23, accusing the GHF of setting up operations that “increase the risk of people [being] shot at or trampled while trying to get food.”
Hundreds of Truckloads of Undelivered Aid: The IDF hosted dozens of international journalists at the Kerem Shalom crossing in Gaza on July 24, presenting what it said were over 800 truckloads of humanitarian aid not yet delivered by the United Nations. The IDF held the event after international aid organizations accused the Israeli government of conducting a “siege” against the Gazan people. “The UN needs to stop pointing fingers and start doing its job,” the Israeli Foreign Ministry stated.
Hamas Profited From Aid: The Washington Post reported on July 21 that Hamas had profited by hiking prices on aid that the terrorist organization had commandeered and was “counting on the humanitarian crisis to bring the war to an end.” The article cited a Western official who emphasized that Hamas was “pushing for” a return to the UN-based aid distribution system, rather than relying on the GHF, because Hamas has “guys in all of the [aid] warehouses.” On July 23, Hamas launched a rocket toward a GHF aid facility and has previously threatened, attacked, and murdered its workers.

FDD Expert Response

“The UN aid distribution mechanisms allowed Hamas to hijack and hoard the aid. Hamas then made hundreds of millions of dollars on the secondary market while ordinary Gazans went hungry. Bankrolling Hamas has prolonged the war, dragging out the misery of Gazans. The GHF has managed to bypass Hamas, delivering tens of millions of meals to those who need them while cutting out the terror organization. Hamas understands that if it doesn’t regain control of the aid economy in Gaza, its days of ruling the enclave will be over. By refusing to work with GHF, the United Nations is shamefully throwing a lifeline to Hamas.” — Enia Krivine, Senior Director of FDD’s Israel Program and National Security Network

“The number of Palestinians seeking aid appears to be larger than what the GHF can currently handle. The United Nations and other organizations can assist in at least partially resolving this issue, which would be immensely helpful. However, it has so far refused to work with the GHF.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst and Editor at FDD’s Long War Journal

“The United Nations needs to get over its turf war with the GHF and Israel and do its job. If the dangers of famine and hunger in Gaza are as pronounced as the United Nations claims, it is indefensible that the international body is letting food sit undelivered in Gaza. The United Nations’ reckless food fight is benefiting only Hamas, which profits from Palestinian suffering.” — David May, Research Manager and Senior Research Analyst