Humanitarian aid to Gaza will be renewed this month, new private aid distribution foundation announces

The newly founded Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a private group backed by the U.S. and Israel, announced on Wednesday that it will start distributing aid in Gaza before the end of May.

Israel cut off deliveries of humanitarian aid after the last ceasefire broke down some two months ago. After numerous rounds of failed negotiations, Israel gave Hamas time until the end of U.S. President Donald Trump’s Middle East trip to agree to a new deal – or face a large-scale military offensive.

The foundation said that aid would begin to be distributed under the previous mechanisms due to the fact that construction of the new distribution areas, originally planned to be created in the wake of the new Israeli operation, has not yet been finished.

“There is no time to wait for ideal conditions. We have a responsibility to act and to do it without compromising our values. Today, we are one step closer to doing just that,” GHF executive director Jake Wood said.

At the time of publication, Israel has not officially confirmed that aid deliveries would be renewed.

The GHF’s announcement seemed to confirm remarks by U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee that the new mechanism would start independently of Israel’s military actions.

The U.N. and the aid groups currently working in Gaza strongly criticized the new U.S.-Israeli-backed mechanism. Among the points that were criticized was the plan to create only a handful of distribution areas in southern Gaza, forcing Gazans to leave the northern part to receive food.

In a letter sent to the Israeli government and quoted by the news outlet Axios, GHF requested Israel to find distribution locations in northern Gaza within 30 days, adding that if displacement of civilians “is deemed necessary due to imminent or active military operations, it should be temporary, voluntary, and solely for the protection of the civilian population.”

Last week, a source told Axios that the foundation is independent and civilian-led, aiming to complement the UN and other aid groups instead of replacing them.

“Our goal is to help ensure that aid reaches those who need it, safely, effectively, and at scale,” the source said.

GHF said it is still in the process of purchasing aid, and committed to distributing over 300 million meals for the first three months.