Johnnie Moore rebuts allegations of a direct connection between aid operations and Palestinian deaths, defends the organization's integrity amid intense scrutiny from international bodies.
**GHF Chief Defends Aid Efforts Amid Violence and Criticism**
**GHF Chief Defends Aid Efforts Amid Violence and Criticism**
The leader of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation addresses rising casualties linked to aid distribution efforts.
In the heart of controversy surrounding aid operations in Gaza, Johnnie Moore, the head of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), has emerged to defend the organization’s work after claims of civilian deaths near aid distribution sites. Speaking with the BBC World Service's Newshour, Moore acknowledged that while there were indeed reports of casualties, he contested the notion that these can be definitively associated with GHF’s operations. “100% of those casualties attributed to proximity to GHF are not true,” he stated, accusing the United Nations and other international organizations of disseminating unverifiable information.
The GHF’s activities have faced backlash from multiple UN agencies. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres declared the operations “inherently unsafe,” emphasizing the dire need to protect vulnerable civilians seeking food aid from becoming casualties. According to reports from the Hamas-run health ministry, more than 500 Palestinians have reportedly lost their lives and 4,000 others been injured while attempting to access aid since GHF commenced its distribution operations in late May.
By June, separate incidents had led to the deaths of numerous Palestinians, which incited widespread international condemnation. The UN and various aid groups have reportedly raised alarms over consistent daily accounts of fatalities near GHF’s distribution points, which are located within Israeli military zones. Eyewitness accounts, including those from medics, have alleged that Israeli forces engaged crowds of civilians seeking aid.
In a Friday article, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz cited unnamed Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers who claimed orders were given to fire upon unarmed civilians at aid distribution sites to disperse them. This assertion was vehemently denied by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who called it a "malicious falsehood." The IDF, in a response to the BBC, stated that they do not explicitly instruct troops to attack civilians but clarified that they have issued “warning shots” in cases where individuals were deemed threats.
Moore further contested claims about the IDF’s role, insisting that not all reported casualties can be attributed to the Israeli military. He proclaimed, “As best as we can tell, that’s also not true.” The GHF chief expressed the organization's ongoing attempts to understand the dynamics of these incidents, yet lamented that they had not been successful in verifying the details surrounding each case.
The GHF has faced skepticism over its efficacy, as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza intensifies. Despite a partial easing of an 11-week blockade by Israel, experts warn that the region remains dangerously close to famine, with the volume of aid still being insufficient. The GHF aspires to deliver 50 million meals to Gaza, a figure highlighting the stark reality that this would equate to less than one meal a day per resident since operations began.
On Thursday, the U.S. State Department announced a $30 million donation to GHF, marking its first known direct financial support to the organization since its founding. Notably, this funding comes in the context of an ongoing campaign by the Israeli military in response to the brutal October attack that left approximately 1,200 individuals in Israel dead, alongside 251 hostages taken. The humanitarian crisis escalated further, leading to reported fatalities exceeding 56,000 in Gaza according to local health ministries.
The GHF’s activities have faced backlash from multiple UN agencies. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres declared the operations “inherently unsafe,” emphasizing the dire need to protect vulnerable civilians seeking food aid from becoming casualties. According to reports from the Hamas-run health ministry, more than 500 Palestinians have reportedly lost their lives and 4,000 others been injured while attempting to access aid since GHF commenced its distribution operations in late May.
By June, separate incidents had led to the deaths of numerous Palestinians, which incited widespread international condemnation. The UN and various aid groups have reportedly raised alarms over consistent daily accounts of fatalities near GHF’s distribution points, which are located within Israeli military zones. Eyewitness accounts, including those from medics, have alleged that Israeli forces engaged crowds of civilians seeking aid.
In a Friday article, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz cited unnamed Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers who claimed orders were given to fire upon unarmed civilians at aid distribution sites to disperse them. This assertion was vehemently denied by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who called it a "malicious falsehood." The IDF, in a response to the BBC, stated that they do not explicitly instruct troops to attack civilians but clarified that they have issued “warning shots” in cases where individuals were deemed threats.
Moore further contested claims about the IDF’s role, insisting that not all reported casualties can be attributed to the Israeli military. He proclaimed, “As best as we can tell, that’s also not true.” The GHF chief expressed the organization's ongoing attempts to understand the dynamics of these incidents, yet lamented that they had not been successful in verifying the details surrounding each case.
The GHF has faced skepticism over its efficacy, as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza intensifies. Despite a partial easing of an 11-week blockade by Israel, experts warn that the region remains dangerously close to famine, with the volume of aid still being insufficient. The GHF aspires to deliver 50 million meals to Gaza, a figure highlighting the stark reality that this would equate to less than one meal a day per resident since operations began.
On Thursday, the U.S. State Department announced a $30 million donation to GHF, marking its first known direct financial support to the organization since its founding. Notably, this funding comes in the context of an ongoing campaign by the Israeli military in response to the brutal October attack that left approximately 1,200 individuals in Israel dead, alongside 251 hostages taken. The humanitarian crisis escalated further, leading to reported fatalities exceeding 56,000 in Gaza according to local health ministries.
