The United Nations secretary-general has labelled the new US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) “inherently unsafe”, following a string of deadly incidents at its aid distribution sites.
"Any operation that channels desperate civilians into militarised zones is inherently unsafe. It is killing people," António Guterres said.
"People are being killed simply trying to feed themselves and their families.
"The search for food must never be a death sentence... It is time to find the political courage for a ceasefire in Gaza," he added.
UN-Israel rift over AID
Israel and the United States want the UN to operate through the GHF, but the UN has repeatedly refused, questioning its neutrality and accusing the distribution model of militarising aid and causing displacement.
Instead, Guterres has urged that the UN be allowed to operate its own aid distribution sites in Gaza that are "grounded in the humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence”.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry responded to Guterres, saying their military "never targets civilians" and that the GHF has delivered 46 million meals to Palestinian civilians, "not to Hamas".
Also, a GHF spokesperson has told Reuters that there have been no deaths at or near any of the GHF aid distribution sites.
Over 400 Palestinians killed
Earlier this week, the UN human rights office (OHCHR) reported that at least 410 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli military "while trying to fetch [food] from controversial new aid hubs in Gaza".
At least 93 people have also reportedly been killed while trying to reach the remaining aid convoys of the UN and other aid partners, according to the OHCHR.
UN human rights spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan stated that the death toll was provided by Palestinian health authorities and other sources, including non-government organisations, and was being verified.
There were also reports of the killing of 12 Palestinian staff of the GHF "by armed men allegedly affiliated with Hamas", according to the UN.
According to information received, "a group of armed men attacked a bus carrying workers employed by a local contracting company acting on behalf of the GHF," the UN human rights office said in a statement.
Why the GHF is so controversial
GHF, the joint American-Israeli program, began operations in Gaza in late May after Israel halted all aid deliveries to Gaza in early March, accusing Hamas of stealing aid.
The UN and major aid groups have refused to work with the foundation over concerns that it militarises aid and was designed to serve Israeli military objectives.
The foundation is running from just four distribution sites, a significant drop from the 400 points where the UN had previously distributed aid before.
It's understood that Israeli military personnel are in charge of the supplies until they're handed over to US security personnel to distribute in Gaza.
Israeli newspaper Haaretz has reported that, according to unnamed Israeli soldiers, they were "ordered to shoot deliberately" at unarmed Palestinians waiting for the aid.
Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has dismissed the allegations, saying "these are malicious falsehoods designed to defame" the Israeli military.
