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Middle East Eye
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
UN: 875 killed near Gaza aid sites linked to Israeli-backed foundation
The UN human rights office says it has documented at least 875 Palestinians killed over the past six weeks near aid delivery points across Gaza, most of them in areas tied to the Israeli- and US-backed GHF. Thameen Al-Kheetan, spokesperson for the UN rights office, told reporters in Geneva on Tuesday that 674 deaths occurred near GHF distribution sites, while another 201 people were killed along aid convoy routes operated by the UN and other agencies. 'The data we have is based on our own information gathering through various reliable sources, including medical, human rights and humanitarian organisations,' Al-Kheetan said. The GHF has rejected the findings and accused the UN of spreading misinformation—an allegation the UN firmly denies. The UN has called the GHF's aid model as 'inherently unsafe' and in breach of impartial humanitarian principles. The foundation, which began operations in late May following an 11-week Israeli blockade, uses private US mercenaries for delivery, bypassing the UN-led aid system Israel claims has been infiltrated by Hamas—an accusation Hamas denies.
Middle East Eye
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
UN says at least 875 Palestinian killed near Gaza aid sites
The United Nations human rights office says it has documented at least 875 Palestinians killed over the past six weeks near aid delivery points across Gaza, most of them in areas tied to the Israeli- and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). Thameen Al-Kheetan, spokesperson for the UN rights office, told reporters in Geneva on Tuesday that 674 deaths occurred near GHF distribution sites. Another 201 people were killed along aid convoy routes operated by the UN and other agencies, according to the official. 'The data we have is based on our own information gathering through various reliable sources, including medical, human rights and humanitarian organisations,' Al-Kheetan said. The GHF has rejected the findings and accused the UN of spreading misinformation—an allegation the UN firmly denies. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters The UN has called the GHF's aid model as 'inherently unsafe' and in breach of impartial humanitarian principles. The foundation, which began operations in late May following an 11-week Israeli blockade, uses private US mercenaries for delivery. It by passes the UN-led aid system, which Israel claims has been infiltrated by Hamas - an accusation that is not supported by independently verified evidence. Israeli civilians paid thousands to demolish Gaza homes Read More » Last week, CNN reported that the main US government agency that distributes foreign aid raised 'critical concerns' about a GHF just days before the Trump administration announced $30m in funding for the organisation. The US Agency for International Development (USAID) in June wrote a 14-page confidential internal assessment criticising a request for funding submitted by the controversial GHF. GHF was seeking $30m of its $100m operating costs from the State Department. According to the assessment, which was obtained by CNN, at least nine elements normally required to obtain government funding were not included in the application, such as insufficient planning information ensuring Palestinians would actually receive aid. One criticism was that the overall plan lacked 'basic details' regarding a scheme to give out powdered baby formula in a Gaza area where clean drinking water is not available. 'I do not concur with moving forward with GHF given operational and reputational risks and lack of oversight," a USAID official said, concluding it would not be safe to move forward with the GHF organisation.
Days of Palestine
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
UN: Israel's Weaponization of Food in Gaza Constitutes War Crime
DayofPal– The United Nations Human Rights Office has declared that Israel's manipulation of humanitarian aid access in Gaza amounts to a potential war crime, citing the systematic killing of civilians seeking food and the obstruction of critical life-saving supplies. In a press briefing in Geneva on Tuesday, UN human rights spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan condemned 'Israel's militarized humanitarian assistance mechanism,' referring to a controversial aid distribution system set up by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). 'Desperate, hungry people in Gaza continue to face the inhumane choice of either starving to death or risk being killed while trying to get food,' Al-Kheetan said. 'The weaponization of food for civilians, in addition to restricting or preventing their access to life-sustaining services, constitutes a war crime and, under certain circumstances, may constitute elements of other crimes under international law.' Asked whether Israel was culpable under international law, Al-Kheetan emphasized that 'the legal qualification needs to be made by a court of law.' Since GHF began operations in Gaza on May 27, Israeli forces have killed more than 520 Palestinians near its aid distribution points, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Another 39 starved people are reported missing after attempting to reach the sites. Human rights organizations and aid agencies have accused Israel of transforming humanitarian corridors into zones of slaughter, describing scenes of chaos and carnage as thousands of Palestinians rush for limited aid. Israeli forces have been accused of targeting these gatherings with live fire and drone strikes, making access to food a deadly gamble. Gaza's Government Media Office has described the GHF sites as 'mass traps' and 'slaughterhouses.' The situation has deteriorated further since March 2, when Israel closed Gaza's main crossings, halting the flow of food, medical, and humanitarian supplies. Humanitarian agencies say the blockade has plunged Gaza's 2.3 million residents into an increasingly desperate situation, with starvation now a pressing reality for vast segments of the population. A recent report by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) warned that nearly 25% of Gaza's population faces catastrophic levels of food insecurity, the highest classification under the IPC system (Phase 5), in the coming months. Despite growing international condemnation, limited aid has reached Gaza through the GHF. The organization has come under fire for its lack of transparency, restricted delivery routes, and selective distribution that leaves vast areas without relief. Most humanitarian organizations, including the UN, have distanced themselves from the GHF, citing its violations of humanitarian principles. Critics say the group restricts aid to southern and central Gaza, forces civilians to travel dangerous distances, and distributes only a fraction of the aid needed. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) warned that 'weaponizing aid in this manner may constitute crimes against humanity.' In a statement, the group added: 'Every day Palestinians are met with carnage in their attempts to receive supplies from the insufficient amount of aid trickling into Gaza.' UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini also condemned the system in a statement on X describing it as 'lethal.' 'Palestinian lives have been so devalued,' Lazzarini said. 'It is now the routine to shoot & kill desperate & starving people while they try to collect little food from a company made of mercenaries.' 'Inviting starving people to their death is a war crime. Those responsible of this system must be held accountable,' he added. 'This is a disgrace & a stain on our collective consciousness.' The UN has confirmed that, despite severe famine conditions, Israel continues to block most food shipments into Gaza, allowing only a handful of aid trucks to pass. Shortlink for this post:
Barnama
24-06-2025
- Health
- Barnama
UN Says Israel's Militarised Aid In Gaza Contributes To 'Catastrophic Humanitarian Situation'
Mourners wheel a body on a medical bed, during the funeral of Palestinians killed by Israeli fire yesterday, while they sought aid in northern Gaza, according to Gaza's health ministry, outside Al-Shifa Hospital, in Gaza City, June 19, 2025. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa GENEVA, June 24 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- Israel's militarised approach to humanitarian aid in Gaza is exacerbating the suffering of civilians and contributing to a "catastrophic humanitarian situation," the UN human rights office said on Tuesday, warning the practice may amount to war crimes. "Israel's militarised humanitarian assistance mechanism is in contradiction with international standards on aid distribution. It endangers civilians and contributes to the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza," spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan told a briefing in Geneva. According to Anadolu Ajansi (AA) Al-Kheetan said Palestinians in Gaza face an "inhumane choice" between starving to death or risking being killed while trying to access food. bootstrap slideshow Since the Israeli-approved Gaza Humanitarian Foundation began operating on May 27, "the Israeli military has shelled and shot Palestinians trying to reach the distribution points, leading to many fatalities." Reportedly, over 410 Palestinians have been killed as a result. At least 93 others are also said to have been killed by the Israeli army while attempting to approach the very few aid convoys of the UN and other humanitarian organisations, he said. According to the spokesperson, at least 3,000 others have been injured in such incidents. "These killings must be promptly and impartially investigated," he added. "The killing and wounding of civilians resulting from the unlawful use of firearms constitute a grave breach of international law, and a war crime." The UN human rights office also criticised Israel's "unlawful restrictions" on the entry and distribution of humanitarian aid, saying it had allowed in only a few trucks since March 2. "The weaponisation of food for civilians, in addition to restricting or preventing their access to life-sustaining services, constitutes a war crime and, under certain circumstances, may constitute elements of other crimes under international law," Al-Kheetan said. "The Israeli military must stop shooting at people trying to get food."
Al Jazeera
15-04-2025
- Health
- Al Jazeera
Israel has killed at least 71 civilians in Lebanon since ceasefire, UN says
The United Nations says at least 71 civilians have been killed by Israeli forces in Lebanon since a ceasefire was struck at the end of last year. Thameen Al-Kheetan, spokesperson for the UN Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said on Tuesday that the death toll included 14 women and nine children. He called for investigations into 'each and every military action where civilians are killed'. OHCHR raised concerns about recent Israeli military operations hitting civilian infrastructure, including a strike on April 3 that destroyed a newly established medical centre run by the Islamic Health Society in the southern city of Naqoura. It also noted that at least five rockets, two mortars and a drone have been launched from Lebanon towards northern Israel, according to the Israeli army, and tens of thousands of Israelis remain displaced from the north. 'The ceasefire must hold, and any escalation is a risk for stability in general in Lebanon, Israel and the whole region,' Al-Kheetan said. Later on Tuesday, Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health reported that an Israeli drone strike on a car in the southern town of Aitaroun killed one person and injured three, including a child. Israel has continued to strike Lebanon, including attacks on the capital, Beirut, since a November 27 ceasefire, which largely halted more than a year of hostilities between Israel and the armed group Hezbollah, including two months of all-out war. Under the truce, Hezbollah was to withdraw fighters from south of Lebanon's Litani River and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure there while Israel was to pull out all of its forces from southern Lebanon. Lebanon's army has been deploying in the south near the border with Israel as Israeli forces have withdrawn although Israel continues to hold five fortified positions in Lebanon that it deems 'strategic'. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun told Al Jazeera on Monday that the army was 'dismantling tunnels and warehouses and confiscating weapons bases' south of the Litani 'without any problem from Hezbollah'. On Thursday, a senior Hezbollah official told the Reuters news agency the group is ready to hold talks with the Lebanese president about its weapons if Israel withdraws from southern Lebanon and stops its strikes.
