Rights Groups Warn of Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's Involvement in War Crimes: Aid Becoming a Deadly Trap

Human Rights Groups Accuse "Gaza Humanitarian Foundation" of Undermining Humanitarian Work and Warn of Legal Liability

Fifteen prominent human rights organizations have issued a strong warning against the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a controversial entity overseeing aid distribution in the Gaza Strip with direct support from the United States and Israel.

In an open letter, the organizations accused the group of radically altering the nature of humanitarian operations and described it as “inhumane and deadly,” cautioning that continued support could amount to complicity in war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The letter noted that this new form of aid distribution, carried out by a private and armed body, violates international humanitarian standards that govern relief work in conflict zones. The chaos surrounding these operations, they warned, has already resulted in the deaths and injuries of large numbers of Palestinian civilians trying to obtain food and supplies.

Calls to Halt Operations and Legal Warnings Issued

The human rights groups urged all entities and individuals involved in supporting or implementing the work of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation to immediately cease their involvement. They warned that continued support could expose them to criminal and civil liability under international law, U.S. law, and other national legal frameworks. Such liability could include complicity in war crimes, crimes against humanity, or even genocide, particularly if it is proven that these aid mechanisms are actively harming rather than helping civilians.

Signatories to the open letter include major global institutions such as the International Federation for Human Rights, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, the Center for Constitutional Rights (U.S.), and the International Commission of Jurists, reflecting a broad international consensus on the gravity of the situation.

UN Rejects Cooperation, and NGOs Raise Alarms

The United Nations has officially refused to cooperate with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, citing concerns over its lack of transparency and neutrality. Humanitarian NGOs have expressed fears that the group may be using aid as a political and military tool, undermining the fundamental principles of impartial and needs-based humanitarian assistance.

According to reports from Gaza’s Ministry of Health, recognized as reliable by the UN, over 450 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 3,500 injured since the foundation began distributing aid in late May. Many of the casualties occurred due to stampedes and Israeli gunfire as desperate civilians attempted to reach distribution points.

UN Commissioner: Food Weaponized to Strip Palestinians of Their Humanity

In a related development, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini sharply criticized the new aid distribution mechanism, calling it “an insult to Palestinian dignity” and a “trap of death.” Speaking at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s 51st session in Istanbul, Lazzarini said two million Palestinians in Gaza are facing deliberate starvation, accusing Israel of using food as a weapon of war.

He added that the situation reflects a frightening level of international inaction and impunity, representing the culmination of 20 months of violence and lawlessness. Lazzarini also stated that UNRWA and its staff have been directly targeted through arrests, harassment, and intimidation by the Israeli military.

He further warned of a mass displacement in the occupied West Bank, particularly from northern refugee camps, on a scale not seen since the 1967 war, indicating a systematic campaign against the Palestinian presence both in Gaza and the West Bank.

Gaza Humanitarian Foundation Admits Limitations and Operational Failure

In a later statement, acting executive director of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, John Acree, admitted the group’s inability to meet Gaza’s vast humanitarian needs, citing the closure of key areas in northern Gaza and ongoing security challenges. He stated that the foundation is working with the Israeli government to open more aid sites and is open to collaborating with other humanitarian partners to expand operations.

However, this partial acknowledgment did little to quell public or institutional anger, especially amid the continued daily fatalities near aid distribution sites, which have increasingly become zones of danger rather than refuge.

Mounting Casualties and Public Outcry

According to the Palestinian Civil Defense, 17 Palestinians were killed in a single day by Israeli forces, 8 of whom were waiting for food aid at distribution points run by the foundation. The Gaza government’s media office confirmed that 450 Palestinians have been killed and 3,466 injured since May 27 while attempting to access what is now known as the “U.S.-Israeli aid mechanism.” Thirty-nine people remain missing.

Aid Turned Into a Tool of Oppression Instead of Lifeline

Amid United Nations rejection, human rights warnings, and devastating field reports, it is increasingly clear that what is being marketed as humanitarian assistance is, in reality, a failed and lethal model. Instead of saving lives, it is contributing to further bloodshed. While international organizations warn of complicity, the Palestinian civilian remains the first and last victim of a system that uses food as a weapon and aid as a cover for grave violations.

Author’s Analysis: Systematic Starvation and the Normalization of Violence Through Aid

What is happening in Gaza today is far more than a humanitarian emergency. It is a deliberate strategy of starvation and the legitimization of unaccountable actors, like the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, to carry out roles that should be neutral and humanitarian in nature. Turning aid work into a politicized, militarized activity imposed on a desperate population is not just a failure of humanitarian principles, it is an intentional weaponization of relief to control and dehumanize.

The warnings from rights groups, the UN’s refusal to engage, and the sheer number of casualties all signal that this mechanism cannot be accepted or ignored. As impunity grows and civilian suffering escalates, global silence or indirect support becomes part of the crime.

Ultimately, what Gaza needs is not just food parcels; it needs a just political solution, an end to aggression, and a transparent, accountable humanitarian framework grounded in international law, not a system manipulated for strategic or geopolitical gain.