The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a group credited with delivering over 50 million meals to Gaza’s residents, is at the center of a growing controversy as critics accuse the United Nations of undermining its life-saving work.
On Friday, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres labeled the GHF’s operations in Gaza as “inherently unsafe” and “k*lling people.” According to Reuters, Guterres claimed that “U.N.-led humanitarian efforts are being ‘strangled’” by the foundation’s activities. The remarks have drawn sharp rebukes from those who see the GHF as a vital lifeline for Gazans facing dire conditions.
Johnnie Moore, chairman of the GHF, fired back on Monday, expressing disbelief at the controversy surrounding their mission. “I’m surprised that something so right, something so simple as feeding people, has become so controversial. We have poked a lot of bears,” Moore said, as reported by JNS. He suggested that the GHF’s efforts to counter a “designated terrorist organization that wants to steal the aid from people” have exposed “the underbelly of the United Nations and all of these organizations around the world.”
Allegations of a Coordinated UN Campaign
Critics argue that the UN is actively working to marginalize the GHF. Hillel Neuer of U.N. Watch pointed to a pattern of obstruction, claiming that Guterres has long instructed UN agencies to avoid cooperating with initiatives that challenge the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
“It’s not surprising because we’ve seen this attitude consistently from the leadership at the UN; Guterres over a year ago instructed all UN agencies, basically forbade them from dealing with any other effort that would replace UNRWA in any way,” Neuer said. He described the UN’s approach as akin to a “Mafia-type” tactic, warning agencies against collaboration with the GHF under threat of severe repercussions.
Neuer further argued that the UN’s resistance stems from fear that the GHF’s effective, non-political aid efforts could highlight UNRWA’s shortcomings. “I think it is politically motivated because we’re seeing an incredible amount of inversion; the argument put out by the UN — and they’ve been vehement in the past several weeks, more than we’ve ever seen on almost any other issue, certainly from UNRWA,” he explained. Neuer criticized UNRWA’s agenda, particularly its promotion of a “right of return” for Palestinians, which he described as encouraging violence against Israel.
Violence Against Aid Workers Ignored
The controversy intensified following reports of brutal attacks on GHF staff. Israel’s UN ambassador, Danny Danon, highlighted a horrific incident three weeks ago, stating, “Three weeks ago, Hamas terrorists m*rdered clearly identified GHS staff as they were returning from a day feeding Gazan civilians.” He described how the attackers “stopped the bus, tortured them in the middle of the road, and executed them,” yet the UN remained silent. “The Secretary-General said nothing. OCHA (UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territory): nothing. UNRWA: nothing. Silence,” Danon said.
Danon also accused the UN of amplifying baseless claims against the GHF, including allegations from Hamas-controlled sources that the foundation’s aid contains drugs. “The blindness and hatred … exploded into absurdity, with some actors even promoting the insane conspiracy that the aid being distributed contains drugs and that the people risking their lives to feed families are secretly pushing narcotics. It’s delusional,” he said, urging the UN to collaborate rather than obstruct. “If you really care about Gazan children, stop sabotaging the only program that reaches them instead of terrorists.”
Misinformation and Media Bias
The GHF has also faced challenges from media outlets relying on questionable sources. In a Monday post on X, Moore called out the press for spreading misinformation from the Gaza Health Ministry, which he described as a tool in an “info war.” “If you see some piece of info reported by the press from the Gaza Health Ministry then you can know that piece of information is not accurate. It is a LIE,” he wrote. Moore criticized outlets that qualify the source as the “Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry,” arguing that this disclaimer is often a disingenuous tactic to justify using unreliable data, which he said “causes further harm to the Gaza people and prolongs a terrible war.”
Escalating Violence Against Gazans
The conflict has taken a devastating toll on ordinary Gazans, with reports of increasing violence by Hamas against its own people. The Telegraph recently detailed the torture of Ahmed al-Masri, a 26-year-old organizer of anti-Hamas protests, noting, “His feet were deliberately broken with large stones and iron crowbars; he was also shot in the legs.” The report described an “escalating wave of bloodshed” by Hamas, with accounts of Gazans being “dragged out of aid lines, tortured in basements, or simply executed in broad daylight.”
As the GHF continues its mission to provide aid amidst these challenges, the UN’s opposition has led to debates about the role of international organizations in humanitarian crises. Critics argue that the focus should be on saving lives, not perpetuating political agendas that hinder those working to make a difference.
The Fairview Gazette will keep you updated on this ongoing story.
