MAHAR Slams Militarised Aid In Gaza, Urges Humanitarian Access
Palestinians gather to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, amid a hunger crisis, as the Israel-Gaza conflict continues, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, December 4, 2024. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Humanitarian Aid and Relief (MAHAR) has condemned the continued use of starvation, blockades, and militarised aid mechanisms in Gaza, calling for urgent international action to end the suffering.
In a statement, MAHAR said the worsening humanitarian crisis exacerbated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) with foreign backing, has resulted in engineered famine, widespread child malnutrition, and the deaths of hundreds at so-called 'aid sites.'
MAHAR Adviser Nurul Izzah Anwar said the genuine humanitarian assistance must be unconditional and free from coercion or military control.
"What we are witnessing in Gaza is the brutal erosion of humanity. The international community must act now and silence is complicity,' she said in the statement.
Meanwhile, MAHAR President Jismi Johari said that the suffering of the Palestinians cannot be allowed to continue under the guise of controlled humanitarianism.
"GHF has stripped civilians of their dignity and turned aid into a weapon of fear. MAHAR stands resolutely in support of restoring full access to United Nations (UN)-coordinated relief efforts and reopening all land borders for safe and unrestricted humanitarian assistance,' he said.
The organisation has joined the international call to immediately dismantle the GHF system, restore UN-led humanitarian operations and reopen all border crossings for safe and unimpeded aid delivery.
In full solidarity with the Palestinians, MAHAR rejects widespread aid airdrops over Gaza, citing Israeli control of the airspace and concerns over safety and effectiveness.
"Previous airdrops have tragically resulted in civilian casualties, including people being crushed while attempting to retrieve aid. In several cases, the aid landed in militarised zones, exposing desperate civilians to sniper fire -- mirroring the same fatal risks reported at GHF-controlled sites,' it said.
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