‘Agents of the Occupation’: Hamas Threatens Civilians Who Accept Aid From Gaza Humanitarian Foundation

Latest Developments

• Hamas Threatens Aid Recipients: Hamas denounced the new U.S.-Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) as an “agent of the occupation,” warning Palestinian civilians who accept its assistance that they “will pay the price, and we will take the necessary measures.” The GHF, which began operations in the southern part of the coastal enclave on May 26, condemned Hamas’s “death threats,” asserting that the Iran-backed terrorist group feels “threatened by this new operating model and will do everything in its power to see it fail.” As the organization’s aid efforts entered their second day, thousands of Palestinians overran one of its distribution sites in an attempt to seize boxes of food and other goods, with the GHF later confirming that its operations resumed once order was restored.
• GHF Begins Aid Distribution in Tel al-Sultan: First revealed in February, the GHF’s stated goal is to bypass the United Nations and humanitarian NGOs by distributing aid at fixed locations with enhanced security to prevent looting and theft by Hamas and allied organizations. The GHF and its private security partners have established four designated “Safe Distribution Sites” across southern Gaza where civilians will be able to receive aid packages. According to an IDF statement on May 27, “The establishment of the distribution centers took place over the last few months, facilitated by the Israeli political echelon and in coordination with the US government.” On the first day of operations, hundreds of Palestinians approached a distribution site in the Tel al-Sultan neighborhood in the southern city of Rafah to receive food parcels from Palestinian workers. One recipient quoted by the BBC noted, “We stood in a long queue. We did not deal with the Israeli army or any American staff.”
• UN, Established Aid Organizations Remain Hostile: Despite being in its infancy, the GHF has been the target of strong criticism from the United Nations and established aid groups, with one UN official calling it “a distraction from what is actually needed, which is the reopening of all the crossings into Gaza, a secure environment within Gaza, and faster facilitation of permissions and final approvals of all the emergency supplies that we have just outside the border.” The GHF’s internal workings came under further scrutiny following the resignation of its executive director, Jake Wood, and his replacement by John Acree, a USAID veteran, one day before its operations launched. The GHF — whose board members and advisors include Nate Mook, the former CEO of World Central Kitchen, and Lt. Gen. Mark Schwartz, the former U.S. security coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority — has pledged that the flow of aid will be “increasing each day,” with plans to distribute food to more than 1 million residents of Gaza by the beginning of June.   

FDD Expert Response

“This war exposed how deeply Hamas had infiltrated traditional relief agencies — using them as fronts for terror and cash. There’s no future for Gaza without a real alternative. GHF deserves credit for stepping up fast.” — Mark Dubowitz, FDD CEO

“Israel’s decision to withhold humanitarian aid from the Gaza Strip was a deliberate component of a broader pressure campaign designed to weaken Hamas, and, to a significant extent, it succeeded. However, the prolonged suspension of aid also triggered a humanitarian fallout, amplifying civilian desperation and instability. With the partial resumption of aid, a volatile new reality has taken shape: Hamas operatives, criminal networks, and civilians are now all competing for supplies. This unregulated scramble has generated chaos on the ground, complicating efforts to ensure aid reaches those most in need — a difficult proposition in a territory where the ruling authority is also a designated terrorist organization whose primary goal is its continued rule.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst and Editor at FDD’s Long War Journal

FDD Background and Analysis

“Israel Allows Aid Into Gaza as Operation Gideon’s Chariots Begins,” FDD Flash Brief

“Israel Ready to Resume Gaza Aid Through New Foundation as Expanded Operation Looms,” FDD Flash Brief

“‘We’re Increasing the Pressure’: Israel Approves Expanded Gaza Operation, IDF Set to Hold Territory,” FDD Flash Brief

“Turning ‘Humanitarian Aid Into a Budget For Terrorism’: Israel Suspends Aid Flow to Gaza After Hamas Rejects Ceasefire Extension,” FDD Flash Brief