Gazan civilians line up for food at a World Kitchen facility in 2024 (Source: video snippet - @IHHen/X)
Hamas' theft of aid has led to a desperate need for direct aid (video snippet)

U.S.-Backed Gaza Aid Group Sparks Uproar as Israel Sidelines UN

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The Judean Staff
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In a stunning and highly controversial shift, a newly formed American-backed group known as the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) is set to begin distributing humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip by the end of May. Created as a centerpiece of the so-called “American Humanitarian Plan,” this new initiative bypasses traditional UN-led aid mechanisms—long accused by Israel of enabling Hamas—and instead turns to private U.S. contractors to control the flow of food and medicine.

The plan, strongly supported by both the Israeli and American governments, marks a seismic change in the international aid landscape. It replaces the UN and other multilateral institutions with private security and logistics firms that are far more aligned with Western and Israeli strategic interests.

Who’s Really Behind the GHF?

Despite being tasked with one of the most sensitive humanitarian missions in the world, none of GHF’s leadership have any experience in humanitarian relief operations. Registered in Geneva in February 2025, GHF’s executive board reads more like a corporate who’s-who than an aid NGO. The experience of the leadership lends confidence that this endeavor will be managed professionally, something that many NGOs in Gaza have been accused

  • David Papazian, an Armenian national and former CEO of the Armenian National Interests Fund, was ousted earlier this year. Now the chairman of Fly Arna, an Armenian budget airline, Papazian is better known for his business ties in the UAE than any humanitarian credentials.
  • Samuel Marcel Henderson and David Kohler, both attorneys with zero aid experience, round out the organization’s leadership.

The Foundation’s operational efforts will be spearheaded by UG Solutions, a private U.S. security firm, and Safe Reach Solutions, a logistics company led by former CIA Paramilitary Chief Phillip F. Riley—a name that has already raised eyebrows among traditional aid groups and UN officials.

A Tactical Shift: Replacing the UN with Guns, Grids, and Gates

Under this new plan, aid will be routed through “Secure Distribution Sites” (SDS) built across southern Gaza—away from Hamas-dominated zones. These facilities, guarded by private contractors, are designed to ensure that food and medical supplies don’t end up in the hands of Hamas operatives, who for years have siphoned off humanitarian aid for terror purposes or resale on the black market.

While Israel has not officially confirmed the agreement, GHF announced that Israeli officials have given the green light to resume deliveries of food, water, and medicine via the Foundation’s transitional system—allegedly on the condition that the United Nations and other traditional actors do not reassert control.

Glaring Contradictions: U.N. Starvation Warnings vs. Gazan Social Media

Despite the UN’s apocalyptic warnings of imminent mass starvation, videos and photos continue to surface from Gaza showing bustling markets, stocked shelves, and restaurants teeming with customers. These contradict the narrative of widespread famine and expose a clear dissonance between UN reports and real-time footage posted by ordinary Gazans.

Israel and GHF argue this is precisely why a new delivery mechanism is essential—one that filters out Hamas manipulation and ensures aid gets to civilians, not terrorists.

The Bigger Picture: Humanitarian Zones or Strategic Conquest?

Behind the humanitarian front lies a major military strategy: Israel is preparing for a massive ground operation aimed at occupying the entirety of the Gaza Strip if a ceasefire deal is not reached imminently.

Sources confirm that Israel’s plan includes the forced—but claimed to be “voluntary and temporary”—relocation of up to two million Palestinians to a newly created “safe zone” in southern Gaza, where the GHF’s aid network will be concentrated.

These plans are already drawing fire from the usual suspects. The United Nations and other NGOs have condemned the creation of the GHF, accusing Israel of using humanitarian infrastructure as a pretext to execute military objectives. Yet none of these groups have addressed their own credibility crisis: UN employees have been exposed as Hamas operatives, and multiple humanitarian groups have been caught facilitating terror activity or allowing aid to be diverted.

GHF’s Promise: 300 Million Meals in 90 Days

Despite the controversy, GHF claims it will be operational by the end of May, and promises to deliver over 300 million meals in its initial 90-day rollout—a volume that would dwarf current UN supply levels.

A letter from the GHF to the Israeli government, dated May 14 and obtained by Axiosobtained by Axios, outlines urgent requests to:

  • Expand secure distribution centers across Gaza
  • Identify locations in northern Gaza within 30 days
  • Ensure any civilian relocations remain “temporary, voluntary, and protective” in nature

Final Word: Power, Optics, and Accountability

Whether GHF’s rollout signals a new era of transparent, secure humanitarian aid, or merely a tactical extension of Israeli war objectives cloaked in benevolence, remains to be seen. What’s certain is that the global aid establishment is facing a reckoning.

With UN credibility in tatters, and Gazans themselves challenging the media narrative via social media, Israel and its allies may have just wrestled humanitarian control from the clutches of a deeply politicized system—and turned it into a tool for both relief and national security.

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