Gaza: The “Humanitarian Transit Areas“ mystery
By Roberto Cetera
According to the news agency Reuters, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF)—a controversial humanitarian organisation founded by Israel and the United States to replace UNRWA, expelled from Gaza by the Israeli government—has developed a plan to establish camps for displaced Palestinians both inside and outside the Gaza Strip. These would be designated “Humanitarian Transit Camps.”
Reuters, which claims to have viewed the plan, reports that the goal would be to replace Hamas in managing Gaza’s civilian population—a role far exceeding the provision of humanitarian aid. The proposed plan, with an estimated cost of $2 billion, was reportedly discussed recently at the White House.
GHF denied authorship of the plan when contacted by Reuters. However, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Katz mentioned a project to build a “humanitarian city” on the ruins of Rafah, with features similar to those outlined in the Reuters report.
Controversial organization
Founded in February, GHF became operational only after a humanitarian aid blockade imposed by Israel on March 2 and lasting 11 weeks created a critical situation in Gaza. On May 25, shortly after the organisation began its activities, its director, Jake Wood—an American ex-Marine with humanitarian experience—resigned, expressing concerns about the organisation’s impartiality.
He was succeeded by Pastor Johnnie Moore Jr., a U.S. evangelical leader and known supporter of former President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu, as well as an advocate of Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories based on a messianic theological interpretation.
Hundreds killed in food distribution queues
From the beginning of GHF’s operations through the end of June, 773 Palestinians were reportedly killed while waiting in lines for food rations, and over 5,000 were injured.
The deaths have been attributed largely to Israeli security contractors hired by GHF and, in some accounts, to the Israeli military itself. Israeli authorities reject this version, attributing the violence instead to Hamas reprisals for being excluded from aid distribution, a task previously managed by UN agencies.
Contrasting testimonies and international criticism
Several video testimonies contradict Israel’s account, implicating instead the Arab paramilitary group Popular Forces, led by Abu Sharab, known for past involvement in drug trafficking and looting. Former Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman has claimed that Abu Sharab receives support and funding from Netanyahu in a strategy aimed at undermining Hamas.
The failure of GHF operations has drawn criticism from both UN agencies, such as UNRWA and international NGOs, including Oxfam, Save the Children, and Amnesty International. These organisations accuse GHF of pushing hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians into overcrowded and militarised aid zones, thereby enabling forced migration.
Lack of transparency and turmoil
There is limited information about GHF’s sources of funding, though operational costs are estimated at $140 million per month. Reports also indicate that long queues at distribution points have been used to deploy facial recognition systems to identify suspected Hamas affiliates.
GHF initially partnered with Boston Consulting Group for strategic planning, but the consultancy ended its collaboration last month amid internal controversy and the dismissal of two senior partners.
Meanwhile, GHF’s office in Geneva was shut down after Swiss authorities deemed the organisation non-compliant with federal foundation regulations and launched an investigation.
Ongoing humanitarian emergency
Despite international concern and allegations that GHF’s activities align more with military objectives than humanitarian ones, the humanitarian situation remains dire. Deaths continue to be reported among desperate civilians waiting in long lines for basic food assistance.
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