UN Secretary-General Guterres condemns the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation as “inherently unsafe” and “killing people.” Israel’s Foreign Ministry blasts Guterres’ remarks, says UN is “aligning with Hamas” by opposing GHF efforts and blaming Israel for UN failures and Hamas’s actions.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday delivered a harsh critique of the US-backed aid operation in Gaza, labeling it “inherently unsafe” and asserting, “It is killing people”, Reuters reported.
The blunt assessment comes amid ongoing tensions between the UN and the new Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
GHF began operating in late May, opening distribution hubs in the Gaza Strip. The organization, comprised of former humanitarian, government, and military officials, stated its distribution points would be secured by private security firms and aims to reach one million Gazans.
Israel and the United States have advocated for the UN to collaborate with the GHF, but the global body has steadfastly refused. The UN has raised serious concerns regarding the GHF’s neutrality and has accused its distribution model of “militarizing aid and forcing displacement.”
Guterres further claimed in his remarks on Friday that UN-led humanitarian efforts in the region are being “strangled,” and that aid workers themselves are facing starvation.
He said that Israel, as the “occupying power”, bears the responsibility to agree to and facilitate aid deliveries throughout the enclave.
“People are being killed simply trying to feed themselves and their families. The search for food must never be a death sentence,” Guterres was quoted by Reuters as having told reporters, adding, “It is time to find the political courage for a ceasefire in Gaza.”
The GHF did not immediately respond to Guterres’ remarks. However, earlier this week, the organization stated: “Bottom-line, our aid is getting securely delivered. Instead of bickering and throwing insults from the sidelines, we would welcome the UN and other humanitarian groups to join us and feed the people in Gaza.”
Meanwhile, Israel’s Foreign Ministry blasted Guterres, saying in a statement posted to its X account, “Blaming Israel for the UN’s failures and for Hamas’s deeds is a deliberate tactic.”
“The GHF has so far provided more than 46 million meals directly to Palestinian civilians, not to Hamas. Yet the UN is doing everything it can to oppose this effort. In doing so, the UN is aligning itself with Hamas, which is also trying to sabotage the GHF’s humanitarian operations,” added the Foreign Ministry.
It clarified, “The IDF never targets civilians, and anyone claiming otherwise is blatantly lying. It is Hamas that is deliberately targeting and murdering GHF aid workers — a crime the UN has never condemned — and is also targeting civilians who are trying to collect aid from the GHF.”
“The UN must now decide: Does it prefer to preserve its monopoly and a system that benefits Hamas — thereby prolonging the war — or is it interested in delivering humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza?” concluded the statement.
