Tom Fletcher, the United Nations aid chief, has condemned a humanitarian aid distribution plan for Gaza, initiated by Israel and supported by the US, calling it a “fig leaf for further violence and displacement” of Palestinians in the conflict-ridden region.
“It is a cynical sideshow. A deliberate distraction,” Mr. Fletcher stated during a UN Security Council meeting.
Since March 2, no humanitarian aid has reached Gaza, and a global hunger monitor has raised alarms that half a million people are at risk of starvation, which accounts for a quarter of the population.
Last week, Israel suggested that private companies would oversee the distribution of aid in southern Gaza once an expanded military offensive commenced, following the onset of the conflict in October 2023, triggered by an attack from the militant group Hamas.
The UN asserts that any aid distribution must remain independent, impartial, and neutral.
“We can save hundreds of thousands of survivors. We have robust mechanisms to ensure our aid reaches civilians and not Hamas, but Israel denies us access, prioritizing the goal of depopulating Gaza over civilian lives,” Mr. Fletcher remarked.
Israel has accused Hamas of misappropriating aid, a claim that Hamas refutes, and is halting deliveries until all remaining hostages are released.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has dismissed Israel’s proposal, stating in April that it risks “further controlling and callously limiting aid down to the last calorie and grain of flour.”
The UN maintains that any aid distribution must adhere to humanitarian principles of independence, impartiality, and neutrality.
Mr. Fletcher mentioned that the UN has engaged in discussions with Israeli authorities regarding their proposed aid distribution model over a dozen times but has yet to reach any resolution.
He emphasized that minimum conditions involve the ability to deliver aid to all individuals in need throughout Gaza.
Tom Fletcher asserted that the Israeli-designed distribution model for aid was not a viable solution.
Amidst the impasse, the United States recently endorsed a mechanism for Gaza aid deliveries to be managed by private companies, a strategy that appeared similar to Israel’s proposal, yet had scant initial details.
“We will not permit the outdated, ineffective system to persist,” stated Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon during the council meeting.
“We are grateful for efforts to establish a new mechanism, one rooted in accountability.”
Senior US officials are collaborating with Israel to activate a newly formed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation to “create a secure mechanism capable of delivering aid directly to those in need, preventing Hamas from misappropriating, looting, or manipulating this assistance for its own interests,” acting US Ambassador to the UN Dorothy Shea informed the Security Council yesterday.
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She called upon the UN and aid organizations to cooperate, asserting that the foundation would distribute aid in accordance with humanitarian principles and would “ensure its own security so that commodities reach civilians in need.”
“While some humanitarian organizations might ultimately opt not to participate in these discussions, others have chosen a more constructive route and will be able to deliver aid in an appropriate manner, hopefully very soon,” Ms. Shea noted.
Mr. Fletcher expressed that the Israeli-designed distribution model was not the solution, partly due to Israel’s assertion that it would confine aid distribution to southern Gaza during the planned offensive, requiring individuals to relocate to receive aid.
Individuals queue to receive hot meals from charity organizations in Gaza.
“It forces further displacement. It exposes thousands of people to danger,” Mr. Fletcher told the council. “It limits aid to only one region of Gaza while leaving other urgent needs unmet. It conditions aid on political and military objectives, rendering starvation a bargaining chip.”
Most of the 15-member Security Council voiced concerns regarding the proposed aid distribution plans.
“We cannot endorse any model that prioritizes political or military aims over civilian needs or diminishes the UN and other partners’ ability to function independently,” stated Britain, France, Slovenia, Greece, and Denmark in a joint statement ahead of the council meeting.
The conflict in Gaza erupted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas killed 1,200 individuals in southern Israel and took around 250 hostages, according to Israeli estimates.
Since the conflict began, more than 52,700 Palestinians have lost their lives, according to health authorities in Gaza.
