Palestinians in Gaza are expressing wariness and concern as a new US-backed humanitarian organization, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), begins operations amid ongoing conflict and a severe humanitarian crisis. Despite the arrival of aid trucks at the Rafah crossing, many residents remain hesitant or afraid to access the distribution centers, amid fears about the neutrality and intentions of the organization.
Local residents, like Abu Ahmed, have voiced fears that the aid process is politicized or potentially used for intelligence gathering. Many are suspicious of the foundation, which is backed by the United States and has ties to Israel, especially given the widespread use of biometric technologies like facial recognition in Gaza by Israeli authorities for security and surveillance purposes. Some believe that biometric data collected could be used to track or target individuals associated with Hamas.
Hamas has issued warnings to residents, urging them not to access the new aid sites, calling the system a trap and warning that Israel may be using the aid effort for intelligence purposes. Hamas's rhetoric emphasizes the importance of staying in local neighborhoods for safety, discouraging reliance on new aid mechanisms seen as a potential threat.
Despite some aid reaching Gaza last week following a slight easing of Israel’s blockade, the volume remains far below the estimated needs—about 500-600 trucks per day—leaving many Palestinians in dire hunger and hardship. Since the recent escalation, over 54,000 Palestinians have been killed, and the enclave's population faces critical shortages of food, medicine, and basic supplies.
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