US-backed Gaza aid group GHF says all distribution sites closed
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US and Israeli-backed aid group, has temporarily closed all of its aid distribution centres in the Gaza Strip.
In a statement posted on its Facebook page on Friday, the GHF said the closures were made for safety reasons and urged residents to stay away from the facilities.
It did not specify how long the suspension would last.
The announcement comes as residents in Gaza mark Eid al-Adha, the Muslim festival of sacrifice, traditionally celebrated with communal gatherings and festive meals.
Israel eased its blockade on aid deliveries into the besieged territory two weeks ago.
Since then, the GHF has taken over the distribution of supplies, operating outside of United Nations agencies and other international humanitarian efforts.
The organization has faced criticism for bypassing established aid networks, as well as for allegedly endangering civilians and breaching widely accepted standards of impartial humanitarian assistance.
But Israeli officials have defended the initiative, saying the GHF aim is to prevent the Islamist group Hamas from diverting aid for its own use in war-shattered Gaza.
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