The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) has announced its closure after just five months of operation, marking another failed attempt to implement an alternative aid delivery system in Gaza. According to Oxfam America’s Peace and Security Director Scott Paul, the initiative was far from successful, contributing instead to the tragic loss of hundreds of Palestinian lives amid restrictions on lifesaving humanitarian aid imposed by the Israeli government.
Launched in May 2025 with support from the U.S. and Israeli governments, the GHF aimed to provide food to communities in southern and central Gaza. However, it became notorious locally as a hazard rather than a help. Food distribution centers were managed by U.S. private security firms with personnel linked to serious crimes and human rights violations. Many Palestinians were forced to travel long distances on foot through dangerous areas, often under gunfire, and yet many failed to receive food. Oxfam and 170 other NGOs refused to collaborate with the GHF due to its violation of core humanitarian principles, particularly the principle of “do no harm.”
The GHF exemplified a broader and concerning trend of aid efforts led by security and logistics firms that prioritize efficiency, force, and political agendas over humanitarian safety and dignity. While such firms can move goods quickly, they lack the trust, local knowledge, and commitment to neutral, principled assistance that are essential to effective humanitarian action. Similar failures, such as the U.S. and Israeli military-led humanitarian pier in 2024, reinforced the lesson that material capacity and force cannot replace the humanity and ethical foundation required in crisis response.
Oxfam emphasizes that genuine humanitarian aid relies on the trust of communities, deep understanding of local needs, and protection of civilians, rather than militarized or politically driven interventions. Prior to the ceasefire, Oxfam and its partners successfully reached over 1.2 million people with humanitarian assistance, and since the outbreak of conflict, water, sanitation, and hygiene programs have supported over 800,000 individuals.
The organization calls for full access for humanitarian and commercial aid into Gaza, a permanent ceasefire, and support for Palestinians to rebuild their communities. The closure of the GHF underscores that aid systems must prioritize human life and dignity above political or military objectives, learning from past failures to ensure future assistance genuinely saves lives.
