Aid distribution through the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation aims to tighten Israeli control.

Throughout Israel's brutal war on Gaza since its inception 19 months ago, UN agencies and experienced relief organizations have overseen the distribution of food aid in the Strip. Now, the Israeli occupation authorities are preparing to transfer this responsibility to a handful of newly formed private organizations with murky histories and unknown financial backers, according to experts.

Supporters of the project describe it as an independent and neutral initiative run primarily by American contractors. The main group providing security is led by Philip F. Reilly, a former senior CIA officer, while a fundraising group is headed by Jake Wood, a former US Marine. Wood stated in an interview that the system will be gradually implemented soon.

When the arrangement was announced in early May, Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, said it was completely inaccurate to describe the plan as an "Israeli plan," according to a statement he made on X, implying that it was a US-Israeli plan. But according to all experts, the project was first proposed by Israeli officials in the first weeks of the war, according to Israeli officials (and people involved in the initiative and others familiar with its concept, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to speak more freely about the initiative).

For its part, The New York Times found that the outlines of the plan were first discussed in late 2023, in private meetings of like-minded officials, military officers, and businessmen with close ties to the Israeli government.

It's worth noting that US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce, in response to a question from a Jerusalem correspondent on the matter, said that the goal behind this plan is to prevent Hamas members from seizing this aid, after repeatedly stating in her response that Hamas is the one preventing the aid from entering Gaza.

The group called itself the Mikveh Israel Forum, named after a college where members met in December 2023. Its leading figures gradually settled on the idea of using private contractors to distribute food in Gaza, bypassing the United Nations. Throughout 2024, they consolidated support among Israeli political leaders and some military commanders and began developing it with foreign contractors, led by Reilly. The plan was designed to undermine Hamas's control of Gaza, prevent food from falling into the hands of militants or the black market, and bypass the United Nations, which Israeli officials distrust and accuse of anti-Israel bias, according to the New York Times.

Israeli officials also argued that their plan would shift distribution from lawless, anarchic areas to areas under Israeli military control. UN officials rejected the plan, noting that it would be limited to limited parts of Gaza and warning that it could endanger civilians by forcing them to walk miles across Israeli military lines to access food. The UN also warned that the plan could facilitate an Israeli plan to displace civilians from northern Gaza, as the initial distribution sites would be located only in the south.

Experts believe that Israel aims to control all aid to Gaza with the help of the United States.

The Israeli proposal:

Israel has proposed a new system in which a US-backed organization, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), would distribute food in Gaza. This plan aims to bypass existing relief organizations, including the United Nations, and restrict aid distribution to specific, secure centers.

American intervention:

Although the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation presents itself as an independent entity, it is affiliated with Israeli officials and is supported by American contractors for security and logistics. This has led to accusations that the plan is essentially an Israeli initiative, despite US officials' claims of neutrality. 3

Concerns and controversy:

UN refusal: The United Nations refused to cooperate with the Global Relief Fund, citing concerns that aid would be politicized and used as a bargaining chip.

Humanitarian principles: Aid organizations argue that the plan violates the principles of neutrality and humanitarian impartiality, as it appears to be subject to Israeli control.

Aid effectiveness: Critics argue that the new system will be less effective in reaching those in need, especially vulnerable populations such as the elderly and children.

· Potential displacement: There are concerns that the plan could be used to force Palestinians to move to distribution centers, which could exacerbate displacement.

Possible change in approach:

Recent reports indicate that Israel may be reconsidering its initial proposal, potentially allowing existing aid organizations to continue managing non-food aid while the Global Aid Fund focuses on food distribution. With pressure mounting to bring more aid into Gaza, Israel appears to be changing its approach, potentially allowing aid organizations operating in the blockaded territory to remain responsible for non-food aid while leaving food distribution to a new U.S.-backed organization, according to a letter obtained by The Associated Press.

This development suggests that Israel may be backing down from its plans to strictly control all aid delivered to Gaza, preventing aid agencies operating in the territory from delivering it in the manner they have done in the past.

Israel accuses Hamas of diverting aid, but the United Nations and aid organizations deny any significant diversion. The United Nations has rejected Israel's plan, saying it allows Israel to use food as a weapon, violates humanitarian principles, and will be ineffective.

It is not yet clear who funds the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). GHF, which has not yet begun operating in Gaza, is run by security contractors, former military officers, and humanitarian aid officials, and receives Israeli support.

The organization is announcing its plans to administer food aid, starting with a small number of centers in southern and central Gaza, with private armed contractors guarding the distribution. Additional sites will open within a month, including in northern Gaza.

Aid organizations oppose GHF and Israel's plans to take over food aid management, arguing that it could forcibly displace large numbers of Palestinians by pushing them toward distribution centers, and that the organization lacks the capacity to meet the needs of Palestinians in Gaza.

GHF claimed to have secured commitments of over $100 million from a foreign government donor, but did not name the donor. The letter stated that GHF's Wood had a phone call with the CEOs of six aid organizations to discuss the new plans, including Save the Children, International Medical Corps, Catholic Relief Services, Mercy Corps, Care International, and Project Hope. The results of these calls, including whether they led to an agreement on a distribution mechanism, were not disclosed.