More than a dozen human rights organisations have called for the immediate suspension of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), warning that its controversial aid operations could render it complicit in serious violations of international law, including war crimes.
In an open letter issued on Monday, 15 groups criticised the GHF’s aid distribution system, which has been marred by chaotic and often deadly scenes, describing it as a “privatised, militarised” approach that represents a dangerous departure from traditional humanitarian practices.
“This new model of privatised, militarised aid distribution constitutes a radical and dangerous shift away from established international humanitarian relief operations,” the letter stated.
The organisations accused the US-backed foundation of delivering aid in a manner that is “dehumanising, repeatedly deadly, and contributes to the forced displacement of the very population it purports to help.”
They urged the GHF and any entities or individuals involved in its work to immediately cease operations, warning that failure to do so “may expose these organisations to further risk of criminal and civil liability for aiding and abetting or otherwise being complicit in crimes under international law, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide.”
The signatories of the letter include the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, the American Center for Constitutional Rights, and the International Commission of Jurists.
The GHF, a private organisation with opaque funding sources, began operations on 26 May, following Israel’s complete halt of aid deliveries into Gaza for over two months, a move that had triggered dire warnings of mass starvation.
Major aid organisations and the United Nations have refused to work with the GHF, expressing concerns that it serves Israeli military interests rather than the needs of Gaza’s civilian population.
Since the start of its operations, at least 450 people have been killed and nearly 3,500 wounded near GHF distribution points, according to figures from the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.
The GHF has denied responsibility for the deaths and injuries that have occurred during its aid distributions, contradicting multiple eyewitness accounts and statements from Gaza’s emergency services.
