3 days ago
Swiss probe sought into Gaza aid foundation backed by US
GHF criticized over opaque funding sources, lack of Palestinian oversight
GENEVA: Swiss authorities said on Sunday they were exploring whether to open a legal investigation into the activities of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US-backed organization that plans to oversee aid distribution in the Palestinian enclave. The move comes after a Swiss NGO, TRIAL International, submitted a request for a probe into GHF's aid plan. TRIAL International said it asked Swiss authorities to explain if the GHF had submitted a declaration, in accordance with Swiss law, to use private security companies to distribute aid, and if it had been approved by Swiss authorities. The FDFA told Reuters it is investigating whether such a declaration would be required for the foundation. It said that the Federal Supervisory Board for Foundations cannot review whether foundations comply with their statutes until they start their activities.
The GHF, which has said it hopes to start work in Gaza by the end of May, told Reuters it 'strictly adheres' to humanitarian principles, and that it would not support any form of forced relocation of civilians. The United Nations has opposed the plan, saying it is not impartial or neutral and forces further displacement and exposes thousands of people to harm.
What is GHF?
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation was established in February in Switzerland, according to the Geneva commercial registry. The foundation intends to work with private US security and logistics firms - UG Solutions and Safe Reach Solutions - a source familiar with the plan told Reuters. A second source said the GHF has already received more than $100 million in commitments. It was not immediately clear where the money was coming from. A New York Times report said the private firms have unclear backgrounds and funding. Supporters describe the initiative as an independent effort led largely by American contractors. Security operations will be overseen by a company run by Philip F Reilly, a former senior CIA officer, while fundraising efforts are headed by former US Marine Jake Wood. However, reporting reveals it was first discussed in late 2023 at private meetings of military, political, and business figures closely aligned with the Zionist government. Critics argue that the foundation's structure raises concerns about its neutrality and its alignment with political and military interests.
How will GHF work?
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said initially there will be four secure distribution sites - three in the south and one in central Gaza - and that 'within the next month, additional sites will be opened, including in northern Gaza.' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that construction of the first distribution zones would be complete in the coming days and that the Zionist entity intends 'to have large safe zones in the south of Gaza.' 'The Palestinian population will move there for their own safety, while we conduct combat in other zones,' Netanyahu said.
'The GHF will use security contractors to transport aid from border crossings to the secure distribution sites,' it said in a statement. 'Once the aid is at the sites, it will be distributed directly to the people of Gaza by civilian humanitarian teams.'
How have aid organizations reacted?
The Zionist entity's UN Ambassador Danny Danon has said a few aid groups have agreed to work with the GHF. The names of those groups are not yet known. A coalition of humanitarian and human rights organizations issued a joint statement last week rejecting the notion of GHF. The signatories said the foundation is a 'smokescreen for a deeply flawed and dangerous attempt to rebrand the delivery of aid in Gaza.'
The statement criticizes the GHF's reliance on Zionist-controlled entry points—primarily the Port of Ashdod and the Karam Abu Salem crossing—and argues that the initiative legitimizes the blockade on Gaza rather than addressing the humanitarian crisis.
The GHF told Reuters that though using private security firms represents a change from prior aid delivery frameworks, it would ensure aid is not diverted to Hamas or criminal organizations. 'The biggest barrier to humanitarian access in Gaza is not inefficiency or corruption, it is the deliberate restriction of aid by the (Zionist entity's) government,' said the coalition.
The aid groups further warn that the plan's scope—initially targeting 1.2 million of Gaza's 2.2 million residents—could contribute to forced displacement. 'This is not a logistics problem. It is an admission that the plan includes the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, or worse, the abandonment of more than 1 million people to famine,' they said. 'If the strategy knowingly includes failing to feed an entire segment of the population, that is not humanitarianism. It is a crime.'
In their statement, the organizations reaffirm the importance of the four foundational humanitarian principles: humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence. They argue that the GHF, by operating in coordination with one party to the conflict and excluding Palestinian civil society, undermines these principles. — Agencies
