GHF Director Responds to Criticism Amid Gaza Aid Crisis

Amid increasing casualties in Gaza during aid distribution, GHF's Johnnie Moore claims misinformation is at play, while UN agencies express strong concerns over safety and operational integrity within the region.

The head of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), Johnnie Moore, has voiced his defense regarding the organization’s ongoing aid efforts in Gaza, following reports of rising casualties among Palestinians near aid distribution points. Speaking to BBC World Service’s Newshour, Moore acknowledged that deaths had occurred near GHF locations but countered that attributing all such casualties to GHF's actions is misleading. "100% of those casualties are being attributed to close proximity to GHF" and he refutes those claims as erroneous.

His assertions come amidst critical responses from the United Nations and other international bodies that condemned GHF operations as “inherently unsafe.” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized that any operation that leads vulnerable individuals into militarized areas puts them at significant risk. Reports indicate that since GHF began its operations in late May, over 500 Palestinians have reportedly died while seeking aid.

The violence escalated rapidly, with multiple lethal incidents occurring shortly after GHF commenced aid distribution. The Israeli military, accused of firing upon civilians by medics and witnesses, has been under scrutiny. An article in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz cited unnamed soldiers alleging orders to shoot unarmed individuals near aid sites to manage crowd control, a claim that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed as "malicious falsehoods.” The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed that they do not intentionally target civilians.

Moore argued that many of the accusations against the GHF have been fabricated, stating, “People need to understand that it is disinformation that people are being killed near our sites.” He claimed that previous reports of aid theft from UN trucks are misleading.

With limited media access to Gaza, the situation remains challenging to verify on the ground. Despite the provision of aid, experts warn that the amounts have not met the pressing needs, leaving the population in a precarious position on the edge of famine. Moore admitted that the GHF's goal of delivering 50 million meals since operations began results in only roughly one meal a day per person.

The GHF has recently received a $30 million funding boost from the U.S. State Department, marking its first significant financial contribution to the group. This funding comes in the midst of ongoing conflict spurred by Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, which resulted in extensive casualties, and has further complicated the humanitarian landscape in Gaza. The conflict has resulted in over 56,000 fatalities in the territory, according to local health authorities.