UN and aid groups denounce Israeli-U.S. plan for Gaza aid delivery
The UN and all aid organizations operating in Gaza jointly announced they would not cooperate with an Israeli-U.S. plan to establish a new mechanism for aid delivery to Palestinians in the enclave because it "contravenes fundamental humanitarian principles."
Why it matters: Israel has been blocking the delivery of all food, water, and medicine to Gaza since the ceasefire broke down two months ago. Now that the UN has rejected the new plan, it's very unlikely donor countries will fund it, putting the resumption of aid further into doubt.
UN aid agencies say food supplies in Gaza will run out within days. Israeli officials claim they will completely run out in three to four weeks.
Catch up quick: Axios reported on Friday that the U.S., Israel and representatives of a new international foundation were close to an agreement on how to resume the delivery of humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza without it being controlled by Hamas.
According to that plan, aid operations in Gaza would be channeled through an internationally governed foundation, backed by nation states and philanthropic entities.
Israeli officials said that according to the plan, several compounds would be built in part of Gaza and Palestinian civilians will be able to go there once per week to receive one aid package per family that will be sufficient for seven days.
What they're saying: The heads of all UN agencies and NGO's who operate in Gaza said in a joint statement on Sunday that the plan Israeli officials presented them was unacceptable and would not enable the delivery of aid to "less mobile and most vulnerable people."
"It contravenes fundamental humanitarian principles and appears designed to reinforce control over life-sustaining items as a pressure tactic — as part of a military strategy. It is dangerous, driving civilians into militarized zones to collect rations, threatening lives, including those of humanitarian workers, while further entrenching forced displacement," they said in the statement.
The UN and the aid organizations said they see the plan as a way for Israel to shut down the existing aid distribution system run by the UN and replace it with a new system controlled by the Israeli military.
"The UN Secretary-General and the Emergency Relief Coordinator have made clear that we will not participate in any scheme that does not adhere to the global humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, independence and neutrality. The heads of all UN entities and non-governmental organizations have unanimously affirmed this position", they added.
The other side: A State Department official criticized the decision by the UN and the aid groups.
"Folks found a creative, outside the box thinking solution to a difficult problem. This is something people should celebrate and support, especially given the needs of Gazans. Not to mention that it is a really bad optic for these groups to be on the same side as terrorist Hamas on this," the official told me.
State of play: The suspension of aid deliveries and the resumption of Israeli strikes have once again displaced thousands of Palestinian civilians, delving the enclave further into a chaotic situation that has resulted in widespread looting and lawlessness.
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