US approves $30m for controversial Israel-backed Gaza aid group

The United States has approved $30 million in direct funding for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an aid group backed by Israel. The GHF, formed in May amid global pressure on Israel to ease its full blockade on Gaza, claims to have delivered over 46 million meals to Palestinians facing severe hunger. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott called the work “incredible” and encouraged other nations to support the initiative.

However, the foundation has sparked intense criticism. Leading international organizations, including the United Nations, have refused to partner with the GHF. Critics argue that the group’s operations violate basic humanitarian standards, largely due to its coordination with Israeli forces and armed US private security.

Tragically, Palestinian officials report that at least 549 people have died near GHF distribution hubs, most shot while seeking food. Eyewitness accounts support these claims. Atar Riyad, a father of eight, described horrific scenes including people being run over or gunned down while trying to collect aid.

Despite these reports, the GHF has denied that deaths occurred directly at their aid sites. Meanwhile, its interim director, John Acree, welcomed the U.S. funding and called for collaboration to “feed even more Gazans.”

Critics, however, warn of potential legal consequences. Kate Mackintosh of UCLA Law said GHF workers could face criminal liability if they knowingly facilitate or ignore risks leading to civilian deaths. She emphasized that firing at unarmed people queuing for food may amount to war crimes under international law.

The situation highlights growing tensions around aid delivery in Gaza and the U.S.'s controversial role in supporting GHF.

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As Gaza faces a deepening humanitarian crisis, GHF’s presence has only added to the chaos for many on the ground. Eyewitnesses describe the aid distribution sites as scenes of horror. Thousands of displaced Palestinians, like Atar Riyad from Beit Hanoon, gather early near GHF points, only to face deadly violence. Riyad said he witnessed people being crushed by trucks and shot dead his friend and neighbors among the victims.

The GHF insists it is not responsible for the violence near its hubs, but footage and reports suggest otherwise. Video clips circulating online show chaos and gunfire as desperate civilians try to access aid. Critics say the foundation’s coordination with Israeli forces and armed security has made aid lines dangerous.

Human rights experts are raising alarm. Kate Mackintosh, a legal scholar with the UCLA Law Promise Institute Europe, warned that GHF staff might face prosecution under international law. She emphasized that knowingly operating in a way that exposes civilians to violence especially while distributing food could lead to war crimes charges.

Meanwhile, deadly incidents continue. On Thursday, an Israeli airstrike killed 18 people in Deir el-Balah. According to witnesses, the victims were waiting for flour distributed by Palestinian police. These police were part of “Sahm,” a security unit tasked with preventing looting of aid trucks and targeting black market operations.

Israel, however, views such police as extensions of Hamas and has repeatedly targeted them. While Hamas has been accused of hoarding aid, the strike raises further concerns about the safety of civilians caught in Gaza’s collapsing aid system.

With UN and global agencies sidelined, and increasing deaths around GHF aid sites, critics say humanitarian support in Gaza is not just failing but turning deadly.