A controversial new US and
Israeli-led mechanism for aid distribution in Gaza has been described by the UN
and other organizations as a form of collective punishment
The
Israeli government has approved the entry of “basic” amounts of aid into Gaza
following three months of total blockade that has significantly compounded the
humanitarian crisis in the strip, coinciding with the start of Tel Aviv’s new
military operation.
The
office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on 19 May that the flow
of aid is being renewed “at the recommendation of the IDF and due to the
operational need to enable the expansion of intense fighting to defeat Hamas.”
Netanyahu’s
office added that Israel “will allow the entry of a basic quantity of food for
the population in order to prevent the development of a hunger crisis in the
Gaza Strip,” given that such a crisis “would endanger the continued operation
to defeat Hamas.”
“Israel
will act to deny Hamas the ability to seize control of the distribution of
humanitarian aid in order to ensure that the aid does not reach Hamas
terrorists,” the statement went on to say.
The
decision to partially lift the blockade has sparked outrage by members of
Netanyahu’s governing coalition, namely Israel’s National Security Minister
Itamar Ben Gvir.
The
security minister demanded that the decision be put to a vote, but was refused
by Netanyahu.
“The
prime minister is making a grave mistake with this move, which doesn’t even
have a majority. We must crush Hamas and not simultaneously give it oxygen,”
Ben Gvir said in a statement.
Following
the prime minister’s announcement, Hebrew media outlets reported that the aid
resumption was a “temporary measure.”
A
senior Israeli official told Axios that this “bridging period” is necessary
while the newly announced US-Israeli aid mechanism – widely condemned by
humanitarian groups for its restrictive controls – remains under development
and is not expected to take effect until later this month.
The
mechanism, called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), involves the use of
security contractors who will provide aid under strict controls in effort to
prevent the alleged diversion of aid by Hamas – which UN agencies have said
there is no evidence for.
The
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has said it will
not participate in the plan. “There is no reason to put in place a system that
is at odds with the DNA of any principled humanitarian organization,” spokesman
Jens Laerke told the BBC, adding that the agency will take part “only in
efforts that are in line with our principles.”
Humanitarian
groups have said the US and Israeli-led plan is a form of collective punishment
and weaponization of aid that will further solidify Israeli control over Gaza.
“The
international community must see this plan for what it plainly is: another tool
of oppression and violence in the context of what international human rights
groups have concluded is a campaign of genocide against Palestinians. It is the
total inversion of humanitarianism that, if allowed to continue unchallenged,
will have dire consequences not only for Gaza's population, but for
humanitarian action over the world,” said Stephen Cutts, CEO of Medical Aid for
Palestinians (MAP).
The
mechanism will see Tel Aviv “secure” the surroundings of the aid distribution
centers, which will be administered by the security contractors. The UN has
also said the plan risks further displacement of Palestinian civilians.
According
to recent reports, Israel is planning to use facial recognition technology to
screen Palestinians seeking aid.
A
Hamas official said over the weekend that its release of US-Israeli captive
Edan Alexander was meant to see Israel’s total blockade lifted, in line with a
pledge by Washington – which the official said the US reneged on. Netanyahu's
office strongly denied that allowing aid into Gaza is tied to the release of
Alexander.
The
closure of all border crossings over the last three months has significantly
worsened the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, causing famine to spread across the
strip.
The
partial resumption of aid comes after Israel announced the start of a new
operation – dubbed Gideon’s Chariots. The operation reportedly aims to bring
the entirety of Gaza under Israeli control and will see the army displace the
whole population and confine it to a small area in the southern region of the
strip.
Hundreds
of Palestinians have been killed in the past three days alone. The entire strip
is under non-stop bombardment, including hospitals.
On
Monday morning, Israel bombed a medical supplies warehouse at Nasser Medical
Complex in Khan Yunis.
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