Israeli NGO says US-backed plan for Gaza aid aimed at ‘strangling’ Palestinians

An Israeli NGO says a proposal to set up a US-backed foundation to distribute aid in the besieged Gaza Strip “is designed to bring about the forced displacement of the population.”

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Gisha, which works on the Palestinian freedom of movement, said the plan will “forcibly displace civilians and expose them to risk of harm.”

“The plan is the next step in a string of moves aimed at consolidating control over the Strip and strangling the population and anyone trying to provide them relief.”

International aid agencies have already warned that Israeli plans to control aid distribution in Gaza, including the US-backed proposal, will only add to the suffering in the devastated Palestinian territory.

Aid workers say the Palestinians would be forced to move to distribution hubs or walk for miles to reach them.

Over the past months of the genocidal campaign, Israel has repeatedly called for the Palestinians to leave northern Gaza, notably Gaza City.

In an April statement, 20 aid groups operating in Gaza said the Palestinians would practically be forced into “de facto internment conditions” in pockets around the hubs.

Gisha, in the Wednesday statement, further said the proposal fails to uphold humanitarian principles and will not address the needs of millions of Palestinians struggling to access food, water, medicine and other critical supplies under Israel’s total blockade.

“The organizational infrastructure for aid delivery already exists and is effective, as seen during the ceasefire, and it must be allowed to continue,” Gisha said.

The United Nations says the proposal “weaponries aid,” threatens to cause mass displacement of the Palestinians, violates the principles of neutrality and simply won’t be able to provide the scale of aid needed.

The UN has called on Israel to lift its blockade on food and other supplies.

On Wednesday, UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini reposted on X a speech given by the UN relief chief Tom Fletcher calling on the UN Security Council to “act now” and “prevent genocide” in the besieged Palestinian territory.

“No government can say: ‘we did not know,’” Lazzarini stated, referring to the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.

The solution, he said, to “manmade starvation” is for Israel to “lift the siege on the children of Gaza now.”

Israel has blocked food, medicine, fuel and other supplies into Gaza since March 2.