Latest news with #DavidBeasley
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
From foster care to fine arts, SC has hundreds of citizen boards and lots of openings to fill
The South Carolina Board of Paroles and Pardons hears an application for parole in Columbia on Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. Only five members of the seven-member panel were present, with one person absent and a one seat vacant since March 2022. (Jessica Holdman/SC Daily Gazette) COLUMBIA — Before then-Gov. David Beasley asked her to join South Carolina's Juvenile Parole Board some three decades ago, Terrye Seckinger was unaware there was a group of citizens deciding which incarcerated youth should be allowed to rejoin the community and which should remain in state custody for crimes they committed as children. Since then, she has served on a total of five citizen governing boards covering criminal justice and education in the state. Once her tenure was over on one board, it wasn't long before a Republican governor called her about another. 'It's not like people are knocking down the doors,' Seckinger said. 'In fact, most don't even know there are these boards where citizens can come and make a difference and have a say in our state government.' Keeping seats full on South Carolina's vast and vague committees is a challenge for the state's political leaders, especially the governor, who's tasked with making most of the appointments, with the Senate's approval. High-profile boards, such as those overseeing the port or state-owned utility company, have a long line of hopefuls seeking a position. But vacancies can linger for lesser-known but not necessarily less important groups. The Palmetto State has just shy of 300 such boards and advisory groups with about 5,000 politically appointed positions, equivalent to the population of a small South Carolina town, said Brandon Charochak, spokesman for Gov. Henry McMaster. They make decisions for South Carolinians on a host of issues, including public colleges, historic districts, disease prevention and professional licensing. There are boards dedicated to the management of aquatic plants and waterfowl habitats, those that oversee operations at specialized K-12 boarding schools, and a group that makes maintenance decisions at the Governor's Mansion. Some have less responsibility, rarely meet or simply remain on the books despite being unfunded or out of existence for years. A list published by the Secretary of State's office advertises some 425 vacancies, though how many seats are truly open is unclear. The office depends on the boards to keep the list current. Many don't. At least a third of them don't actually exist anymore. To be considered for appointment to one of South Carolina's hundreds of citizen boards and commissions, you can fill out an online interest form to the Governor's Office here. A list of vacancies is maintained by the Secretary of State's Office, though don't rely on it to be accurate. Qualifications for each board are listed in the Legislative Manual. Most appointment decisions are left up to the governor and require confirmation by the Senate. But for others, lingering openings on boards can have an oversized impact on the lives of South Carolinians. A seat held for someone with a disabled family member living in a state institution remains unfilled on the Adult Protection Coordinating Council, which is tasked with improving the system of care for people with disabilities. A doctor and a pathologist are needed for a panel that reviews death investigations for the elderly and disabled living in state-contracted facilities. Those slots are open on the Vulnerable Adults Fatalities Review Committee, which aims to identify trends and prevent future deaths. Spots for four business people remain unfilled on the Coordinating Council for Workforce Development, a board that comes up with the strategies for training workers needed to fill the many job openings in the state. A prosecutor, a youth recreation organization, and a special education expert are missing from the Governor's Juvenile Justice Advisory Council, which is tasked with plans for keeping children out of the juvenile justice system. The board governing the Conservation Bank, which doles out grants to preserve land from development, has several openings. So does the board that oversees billions in bond financing for hospitals, schools and colleges. There are also openings on the commission that reviews foster care placements to ensure children have a safe and stable home. The list goes on. SC woman sues over 'racial quota' for minority affairs board How active a board is depends greatly on how much its members are willing to work, said Seckinger. Like many who sit on boards, she's politically connected. Beasley was a family friend even before she and her sister worked on his 1994 campaign for governor. Her brother is state Sen. Chip Campsen, who was first elected to the state House in 1996. Being known in political circles, combined with a willingness to devote her time, explains why she keeps getting those calls. 'I tend to find myself in the fox hole,' she said. It's up to the agency heads to keep things running day to day. A good board, according to Seckinger, does not micromanage but rather comes up with new ideas and thinks about government in terms of what could be. 'Members of the public bring a different perspective to agencies,' she said. 'I think there's wisdom in that different set of eyes.' For Seckinger, that led to a successful push for public charter schools in the state after she spent time serving on the State Board of Education. And during her time on the Commission for Higher Education, she argued unsuccessfully for changing to a centralized Board of Regents rather than individual college boards, saying it would lead to better scrutiny of college tuition costs and spending. 'Looking with a business mindset, you see things in agencies that don't make sense or ways to spend less,' Seckinger said. 'Because it's our tax dollars.' The issue of board vacancies even led Gov. Henry McMaster to use his State of the State address this year to call for the review and potential elimination of the state's more than 40 professional licensing boards. They regulate cosmetologists, construction contractors, chiropractors, real estate agents, nurses, doctors, dentists and more. If the boards were eliminated, oversight would instead be handled directly by the state's licensing agency, rather than board appointees. But the General Assembly ultimately did not oblige that request. Legislators did, however, combine a trio of health-related state agencies into a single, Cabinet-level agency, eliminating their separate governing and advisory boards. 'We have way too many boards and commissions,' Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey previously told the SC Daily Gazette. 'It's difficult for the governor to find qualified, interested people to serve. Not because we haven't tried or think it's not important.' The Edgefield Republican was among supporters of consolidating the health agencies to one department overseen by a single director who answers to the governor. 'My position for years has been if you're going to have a governor, let him be governor,' Massey said. Beyond that, Massey said, those people who would best serve in these positions are often already too busy. He recalls long-standing vacancies on the committee that oversees the state's clay, gold, stone and sand mines. Vacancies have also resulted in boards lacking a quorum, meaning they can't meet. Some lawmakers call SC Arts Commission funding a 'waste.' Supporters say it's essential. Even boards without vacancies are stacked with people serving well beyond their prescribed term. They're left in what's known as holdover status, often for years — some for more than a decade. Henry Horowitz of Greenville served on the South Carolina Arts Commission for 20 years, six of those as chairman, since being appointed by former Gov. Mark Sanford. While not an artist himself, Horowitz has been heavily involved in the arts, serving on half a dozen boards and founding the Artisphere festival in Greenville. This year, he said, he told McMaster it was time to find someone new for the small but influential state board that last year distributed $18.4 million to support the arts, from emerging artists to Charleston's long-running Spoleto festival. His replacement is among five new members of the nine-member arts commission confirmed by the Senate earlier this month. All five are replacing people who had been serving six years or more past the expiration of their terms. In all, the Senate made about 75 confirmations and reconfirmations to boards and commissions this year. More than a dozen other nominees went unconfirmed before the 2025 legislative session officially ended May 8. Horowitz, like Seckinger, only knew of the opening in 2005 because the governor called him. People can apply online, but those without political connections may not know the vacancies — or the board themselves — exist. 'It's hard to get on a board when you're not aware of them,' he said. 'Therefore, people don't get invited.' Many of these board members are not paid for their time beyond covering travel expenses. The screening involves a financial and criminal history check and hearings before Senate committees. Horowitz also recalls having to submit five letters of recommendation when he applied. 'It's not a simple process,' he said. Charochak, the governor's spokesman, said it's common for applicants to drop out once they find out about the six-month to year-long procedure. 'That's truly the main issue we have,' he said. SC woman who killed her abuser again denied parole after nearly 5 years in prison A state parole board decision last fall — when those supporting a woman's release included her local legislator, police chief and solicitor — serves as an example of how vacancies and absences on a board can make a real difference in people's lives. If one more board member had been present, the Greenwood mother of five imprisoned for killing her abuser may have been released after nearly five years behind bars. One parole board seat remains unfilled some eight months later. McMaster pointed to another case in making his argument for doing away with independent governing boards at the state's mental health and disabilities agencies. A lawsuit filed in December by the U.S. Department of Justice accuses the state of keeping adults with serious mental illnesses in institutions longer than necessary. It was filed 17 months after federal authorities warned a lawsuit was imminent if nothing changed. McMaster said putting the governor's office in charge would allow whoever's governor to respond and hold people more accountable when things go wrong. But advocates for these populations are less certain. Bill Lindsey, who heads South Carolina's chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, said having mental health commissioners from each congressional district gave families direct access to decision makers when issues arose. While agency employees set policy, commissioners can serve as advocates. Margie Williamson agreed. She's spent the last 15 years leading a nonprofit advocacy group in Columbia for people with developmental disabilities, called The Arc of South Carolina. 'Speaking as a parent, I had somebody who represented my child,' she said. 'Otherwise, in the agency, (those with disabilities) can get lost, being seen as just a number and not a person.' DOJ sues SC over claims of warehousing people with mental illness With more than 20,000 people with disabilities on a waiting list for state services, Williamson is worried more people will slip through the cracks. Coupled with a multitude of proposed cuts to federal aid programs and possibly Medicaid, she said the lack of certainty has become overwhelming. Lindsey said he's hopeful, even as the Department of Mental Health is folded into a larger Cabinet agency, that the commission will remain intact in an advisory capacity, keeping family members informed of what's going on as the agency restructures. Lindsey also said he was surprised by the legal action taken by the U.S. Department of Justice. While there was still more work to be done to improve the quality of housing for those transitioning out of mental health hospitals, he had felt the state had made great strides.
Morocco World
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
New Gaza Aid Foundation: US Faces Backlash for Sidestepping UN Agency
Rabat – The United States has announced the creation of a new foundation to coordinate aid deliveries to Gaza, drawing sharp criticism from humanitarian groups and the United Nations agency that has long led relief operations in the war-torn territory. The move comes as Gaza faces worsening famine-like conditions due to the Israeli Occupation Forces' (IOF) ongoing blockade and merciless aggression. The new initiative, called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), was announced by the US State Department on Thursday. According to officials, the foundation will be a charitable, non-governmental organization that aims to deliver aid more securely and prevent it from being diverted by Hamas or other groups. The foundation is expected to work independently of the United Nations and is reportedly in talks to be headed by David Beasley, former director of the UN World Food Programme. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said Friday that while Israel will not manage aid distribution directly, it will provide security for GHF's operations. Private contractors would reportedly be used to guard distribution hubs where Palestinians must gather to collect supplies. The plan is said to align with an Israeli proposal to create four 'Secure Distribution Sites,' each intended to serve 300,000 people. The US decision to bypass the United Nations and other existing aid agencies has alarmed humanitarian organizations, especially the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), which has been the main humanitarian actor in Gaza for decades. Juliette Touma, a spokesperson for UNRWA, warned that distributing humanitarian aid in Gaza would be extremely difficult without the agency's involvement. 'It is impossible to replace UNRWA in a place like Gaza. We are the largest humanitarian organisation,' Touma said during a press conference in Geneva in response to questions about the proposal. Read also : Israel Approves Expansion Offensive Plan in Gaza She noted that UNRWA has over 10,000 staff in Gaza who deliver the remaining supplies and manage shelters for displaced people. 'It is very, very difficult to imagine any humanitarian operation without UNRWA,' Touma added. UNRWA's mandate includes running schools, clinics, and food distribution programs, as well as coordinating long-term development and relief efforts for Palestinian refugees. The agency has deep ties to local communities and infrastructure that most other groups lack. Israel, which resumed its relentless attacks on Gaza in March after a short-lived, fragile truce, has blocked nearly all humanitarian aid from entering the enclave. Over 2.4 million Palestinians remain trapped under siege, with the UN and aid workers warning of mass starvation. At least 57 people, many of them children, are reported to have died from hunger so far. Critics of the US-Israeli plan argue that it is a political move meant to weaken UNRWA and control aid distribution in Gaza. 'This is aid-washing,' said Chris Gunness, a former UNRWA spokesperson. 'This is a cynical attempt by the state of Israel and its allies … to use aid to hide the fact that what's actually going on is people are being starved into submission,' Gunness told Al Jazeera. The UN's humanitarian agency also condemned the plan. 'This appears to be a deliberate attempt to weaponize aid,' said spokesperson Jens Laerke. Despite these concerns, US officials say the new plan is urgently needed to get food and medical supplies to people suffering in Gaza. 'The most significant danger is doing nothing,' Ambassador Huckabee said. 'People are dying from hunger.'
Euronews
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
US-backed group seeks to take over Gaza aid distribution, reports say
A group of US security contractors, former military officers and humanitarian aid officials is proposing to take over the distribution of aid to Gaza based on plans similar to ones designed by Israel. According to a proposal from the newly created group, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), obtained by AP, the idea is to implement a new aid distribution system supplanting the current one run by the UN and other international aid agencies. The 14-page proposal circulated this week among aid groups and UN officials lays out plans similar to those Israel has been discussing privately with international aid groups for weeks. Under the new group's proposal, Palestinians would receive pre-packaged rations, potable water, hygiene kits, blankets and other supplies at four distribution hubs under the protection of private security contractors. The group said it wants to partner with the UN and international aid groups in handing out their supplies. A US official confirmed the authenticity of the proposal and said David Beasley, the former director of the UN World Food Program, is the lead choice to run GHF. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss plans that have not been made public, said the proposal could still be revised, and Beasley's role is not confirmed. Israel has blocked food, fuel, medicine and all other supplies from entering Gaza for 10 weeks, worsening a humanitarian crisis for the 2.3 million Palestinians living in the enclave. Officials say the aim of the blockade is to force Hamas militants to release the 59 hostages they still hold in Gaza. Israel has also said it won't allow aid back into the Strip until a system is in place that gives it control over distribution. A UN official said last week that Israel's plans would "weaponise aid" by placing restrictions on who is eligible to receive it. Israel accuses Hamas and other militants of siphoning off large amounts of aid for personal gain and to strengthen their units. The UN and aid workers deny there is a significant diversion. According to the document, GHF would initially set up four distribution sites, each serving 300,000 people. That would cover about half of Gaza's population. The system would be scaled up to meet the needs of 2 million people. But the proposal does not provide a timeframe, and aid workers warn that food is rapidly running out in Gaza under Israel's blockade. The GHF proposal said subcontractors would use armoured vehicles to transport supplies from the Gaza border to distribution sites, where they would also provide security. It did not specify who would provide security but said it could include personnel who previously worked in the Netzarim Corridor, an Israeli-held zone cutting off northern Gaza. A private logistics and operations company, Safe Reach Solutions, has operated in the corridor. GHF said people would receive assistance based on need, with no eligibility requirements. Aid workers say Israel has said it intends to vet aid recipients and screen them using facial recognition. Aid workers have criticised the plans, saying the proposal could not possibly meet the needs of Gaza's large population and that they would forcibly displace large numbers of Palestinians by forcing them to move nearer to the aid hubs. Throughout the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, the UN and other humanitarian groups have been carrying out a massive aid delivery programme. They have trucked in supplies and distributed them across the territory, going as close as possible to where Palestinians were located. What has chiefly hampered the system, aid workers have said, are Israeli military operations and restrictions on movement, as well as the low amount of aid allowed to enter even before the blockade. Convoys have also been attacked by criminal groups stealing aid, and Palestinians have sometimes taken supplies from trucks. Aid workers have cast doubt on whether GHF would meet humanitarian requirements for neutrality and independence. Shaina Low, communications adviser for Norwegian Refugee Council, one of the main organisations in Gaza, said aid groups are concerned the plan will be used "to advance military and political goals." By forcing the population to relocate around aid hubs, the system would "depopulate entire parts of Gaza" and could be used to potentially expel the population, she said. "They are framing (the plan) to fix the problem that doesn't really exist," she said, referring to Israel's claims that it must prevent Hamas from stealing aid. The use of private security companies has also alarmed humanitarian workers. While it's common for private security firms to operate in conflict zones, they have to respect humanitarian law and, at minimum, be fully vetted and monitored, said Jamie Williamson, executive director of the International Code of Conduct Association. Tamara Alrifai, communications director for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, which has led the aid effort in Gaza, said the plan was logistically unworkable. She said the foundation does not appear able to match the current infrastructure needed to distribute food and address other humanitarian needs. Russia will return the oldest and most famous launch pad in the Baikonur Cosmodrome, also known as 'Gagarin's Start,' to Kazakhstan, handing it over by 1 June. Kazakhstan plans to turn the world's first crewed space launch site — which was decommissioned back in 2019 — into a museum. 'The Gagarin's Start was decommissioned due to its unsuitability for launching the new Soyuz-2 rockets, which are now launched from the 31st platform of the cosmodrome,' said the spokesperson for the Kazakh Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry. To fund the site's modernisation, Russia and Kazakhstan partnered with the United Arab Emirates and signed a trilateral agreement in 2021. However, the project stalled amid shifting geopolitical dynamics. Russia's war in Ukraine forced countries to reevaluate their partnership and the use of Soyuz-2 rockets. In the meantime, Russia turned its attention to its own launching sites of Plesetsk and Vostochny, shifting commercial launches to one of them. While it still leases Baikonur from Kazakhstan until 2050, it has presented Kazakhstan with a list of 234 facilities it no longer needs, to be struck from the lease agreement. According to authorities, 53 have already been accepted by the Kazakh side. 'The Russian side will continue to use the Baikonur Cosmodrome in the future. A total of nine launches were planned for 2025, of which two were completed,' the ministry said. Meanwhile, Kazakhstan continues to develop its own Baiterek space complex, though progress has been slow. Experts warn that delays, coupled with the waning relevance of Baikonur, could result in outdated infrastructure and missed economic opportunities. The Gagarin's Start, also known as Baikonur Site 1 or Site 1/5, holds deep historical significance. In 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first human to journey into space from this pad. The Earth's first artificial satellite, Sputnik, was also launched from this pad. After mulling over an upgrade, Russia's space agency Roscosmos initially proposed turning the launch pad into a museum, citing the importance of preserving the site as a global heritage site. Soon to be in charge of the project, Kazakhstan hopes to increase Baikonur's tourism potential by opening it to the public. 'Given the historical significance of the Gagarin's Start and for the purpose of developing tourism at the Baikonur complex, the Kazakh side, in collaboration with the Russian side, plans to create a museum complex dedicated to the history of space exploration,' said the statement by the Kazakh ministry. The future museum will showcase rockets, space equipment and other artefacts from Baikonur's 70-year history. Both sides will also work on including the launch pad in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Currently, visiting Baikonur requires a special permit issued two months in advance, limiting broader access. The ministry said it was working on reducing the time needed to obtain the access permit and develop a digital pass. Officials hope the museum project will boost the region's domestic and international tourism.
The National
09-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
Hope and doubt surround US relief plan for Gaza
Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza In Gaza, where Palestinians are going for entire days without eating due to lack of food, uncertainty casts a long shadow over any promise of aid or relief. As families run out of supplies, prices in the few markets that remain open have skyrocketed and few can afford what little is available. News has emerged that bakeries across the besieged strip might reopen soon, but for many, these remain just words, not yet bread. 'Until now there is no confirmation of reopening the bakery shops as the borders are still closed,' says Abdulnasser Al Ajrami, head of the Bakeries Committee in Gaza. 'As long as the borders are closed, the bakeries will remain closed. People are grinding macaroni into powder to bake bread. That's how desperate things have become. ' Israel had proposed a plan that would create aid 'hubs' controlling who gets what. But the UN and other groups have said they would not participate in a plan that compromises humanitarian principles. 'A plan where the humanitarian aid is being handled by one party to the conflict contravenes any humanitarian principles of independence, impartiality and neutrality,' Unicef's communications chief in Palestine, Jonathan Crickx, previously told The National. On Friday, US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, said Washington's plan for Gaza would not involve Israel distributing aid but merely providing military security. At the centre of this initiative is David Beasley, a former governor of South Carolina and ex-executive director of the UN's World Food Programme (WFP). A Republican with a humanitarian profile, he is reportedly being positioned to lead an American-administered aid effort in Gaza. Dhu Al Fiqar Suwayrjo, a political analyst, believes Mr Beasley's potential selection signals a shift in American strategy. 'Beasley is not a military figure. He presents a softer image, a humanitarian face for the United States, a soft power,' he told The National. He believes the US is trying to convert Gaza into an operating base to manage its interests in the region. But for others, this plan is more than just a strategy – it's a threat. Rawhi Fattouh, Speaker of the Palestinian National Council, condemned the US-Israeli aid initiative, calling it a 'racist project' that aims to isolate Palestinians in controlled zones. 'This is not humanitarianism. This is humiliation and control,' Mr Fattouh said in a statement. 'They want to strip Palestinians of the basic necessities of life, humiliate them, and drive them towards forced displacement, all part of a broader scheme to liquidate the Palestinian cause.' As competing narratives unfold, ordinary Palestinians remain trapped in limbo, caught between hunger and a complex geopolitical chessboard. Dozens of people have died of malnutrition-related conditions, the ministry of health has said. Back in Gaza's shuttered streets, the scent of baked bread has long faded. Until plans turn into action, Gazans wait hungry, wary and watching – trying to survive.
Time of India
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
A US-backed group seeks to take over Gaza aid distribution in a plan similar to Israel's
TEL AVIV: A group of American security contractors, ex-military officers and humanitarian aid officials is proposing to take over the distribution of food and other supplies in based on plans similar to ones designed by . Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The Associated Press obtained a proposal from the newly created group, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, to implement a new aid distribution system supplanting the current one run by the UN and other international aid agencies. The UN and aid groups have rejected Israel's moves to control aid distribution. It was not immediately clear if the proposal from the new group, which is registered in Geneva, would ease those concerns. Israel has blocked food, fuel, medicine and all other supplies from entering Gaza for 10 weeks, worsening a humanitarian crisis for 2.3 million Palestinians. It has said it won't allow aid back in until a system is in place that gives it control over distribution. The 14-page proposal circulated this week among aid groups and UN officials lays out plans similar to ones Israel has been discussing privately for weeks with international aid groups. The proposal reveals for the first time plans to create the foundation and names the people leading it. A UN official said last week that Israel's plans would "weaponize aid" by placing restrictions on who is eligible to receive it. Aid workers have also criticized the plans, which would centralize distribution at four hubs under the protection of private security contractors. They say the plans could not possibly meet the needs of Gaza's large and desperate population, and that they would forcibly displace large numbers of Palestinians by driving them to move nearer to the aid. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Under the new group's proposal, Palestinians would receive pre-packaged rations, potable water, hygiene kits, blankets, and other supplies at the distribution hubs. The group said it wants to partner with the UN and international aid groups in handing out their supplies. A US official confirmed the authenticity of the proposal and said the former director of the , David Beasley, is the lead choice to run . The proposal could still be revised and Beasley's role is not confirmed, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to detail plans that have not been made public. Beasley, a former governor of South Carolina, didn't immediately respond to messages seeking comment. Israel accuses Hamas and other militants of siphoning off large amounts of aid. The UN and aid workers deny there is significant diversion, saying the UN strictly monitors distribution. When contacted Thursday for comment about GHF's proposal, Israeli officials did not immediately respond. US backing for the foundation The Trump administration supports the new group's proposal, said a person involved in it. The person said GHF would work "within the confines" set by Israel on aid but would be "independent and committed to humanitarian principles", a nod to UN concerns. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a plan not yet made public. "This is a new approach with one focus: Get help to people. Right now," said spokeswoman . Ahead of his first trip to the Middle East this week, US President said "a lot of talk" was going on about Gaza and that his administration will soon have more to say about a new proposal. This may include a new push for a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, the release of hostages and an influx of aid to Palestinians. Aryeh Lightstone, a senior member of US special envoy 's team, was involved in briefing UN agencies and aid groups about the foundation as they gathered in Geneva on Thursday, according to two humanitarian workers briefed on the meeting who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment to the media. Who's involved? GHF's proposal names a 10-member leadership team that includes former senior American military officers, business executives and officials from aid groups. At least two of them have ties to private security companies. Beasley is listed among them, but the proposal says his role is still "to be finalized." Beasley is also a senior advisor to Fogbow, a private US firm that participated in the short-lived project delivering aid to Gaza by sea via a US military-built pier. The AP contacted people listed in the proposal to confirm their participation. Only one responded, saying he was "not on the board." The person involved in planning said the list was still in flux. How would it work? According to the proposal, GHF would initially set up four distribution sites, each serving 300,000 people. That would cover about half of Gaza's population. The system would be scaled up to meet the needs of 2 million people. But the proposal does not give a timeframe. Aid workers warn that food is rapidly running out in Gaza under Israel's blockade. The GHF proposal said subcontractors will use armored vehicles to transport supplies from the Gaza border to distribution sites, where they will also provide security. It said the aim is to deter criminal gangs or militants from redirecting aid. It did not specify who would provide security but said it could include personnel who previously worked in the Netzarim Corridor, an Israeli-held zone cutting off northern Gaza. A private logistics and operations company, Safe Reach Solutions, has operated in the corridor. GHF said people will get assistance based on need with no eligibility requirements. This appears to differ from proposals floated by Israel. Aid workers say Israel has said it intends to vet aid recipients and screen them using facial recognition. What do aid groups say? Throughout Israel's campaign in Gaza, the UN and other humanitarian groups have been carrying out a massive aid program. They have trucked in supplies and distributed them across the territory, going as close as possible to where Palestinians were located. What has chiefly hampered the system, aid workers have said, are Israeli military operations and restrictions on movement, as well as the low amount of aid allowed to enter even before the blockade. Convoys have also been attacked by criminal groups stealing aid, and hungry Palestinians have sometimes taken supplies from trucks. Aid workers contacted by the AP cast doubt whether GHF would meet humanitarian requirements for neutrality and independence. Shaina Low, communications adviser for Norwegian Refugee Council, one of the main organizations in Gaza, said aid groups are concerned the plan will be used "to advance military and political goals." By forcing the population to relocate around aid hubs, the system would "depopulate entire parts of Gaza" and could be used to potentially expel the population, she said. "They are framing (the plan) to fix the problem that doesn't really exist," she said, referring to Israel's contention that it must prevent Hamas from taking aid. The use of private security companies has also alarmed humanitarian workers. While it's common for private security firms to operate in conflict zones, they have to respect humanitarian law and at a minimum be fully vetted and monitored, said Jamie Williamson, executive director for the International Code of Conduct Association. , communications director for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, which has led the aid effort it Gaza, said the plan was logistically unworkable. She said the foundation does not appear able to match the current infrastructure needed to distribute food and address other humanitarian needs. called it "a very dangerous precedent" for countries to use "full siege as a tactic of war" to force the abandonment of "existing aid structures and the entire international system that exists and is recognized and start creating a new system."
