International aid groups refuse to step in, Israel and U.S. push forward with Gaza relief project
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation was conceived out of necessity, following the reluctance of leading aid groups—including most U.N. agencies—to continue or expand their operations in Gaza
With major international humanitarian organizations declining to operate in Gaza under current conditions, Israel and the United States have moved to fill the void by launching a new initiative: the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
But despite the urgency behind its creation, the foundation is already grappling with internal confusion, dwindling support, and global skepticism.
According to a Washington Post investigation, the GHF was conceived out of necessity, following the reluctance of leading aid groups—including most U.N. agencies—to continue or expand their operations in Gaza. A 198-page confidential planning document, drafted in November 2024 and obtained by the Post, reveals that even before the foundation’s public unveiling on May 14, organizers acknowledged its unprecedented nature and the steep challenge of building trust without a proven track record.
The internal blueprint stressed the need to recruit widely respected humanitarian leaders and organizations to lend credibility to the new entity.
Yet, nearly all the groups initially listed in the plan have refused to cooperate. Proposed funders from Arab and European nations have also backed away, leaving the foundation’s financial and logistical future in question.
Despite public endorsements, GHF’s rollout has been rocky. Several humanitarian figures publicly associated with the initiative have yet to formally join or have since distanced themselves. Behind the scenes, the organization is reportedly beset by uncertainty about leadership, partnerships, and on-the-ground implementation.
The planning documents reveal that GHF officials anticipated a wave of public criticism. Drafted talking points warn of possible comparisons to “concentration camps” due to biometric tracking at food hubs, or likening the foundation to Blackwater—a private U.S. military contractor once accused of abuses in Iraq.
Even within Israel’s own security establishment, there are doubts. Senior officers in the Israel Defense Forces, while agreeing that aid distribution in Gaza must be improved, have reportedly questioned whether the GHF’s operations could result in chaos, including dangerous overcrowding at distribution points and unclear coordination between private security contractors and IDF forces.