Switzerland is reviewing whether to launch a legal investigation on the Geneva-based Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), as reported by Middle East Eye via Reuters on May 25th.
The US-backed organisation is slated to oversee aid delivery in Gaza, a plan the United Nations has criticised for lacking neutrality and exposing civilians to further harm.
The possible probe follows two legal submissions by Trial International, a Swiss NGO, which requested that the government examine whether GHF complies with Swiss and international humanitarian law. The request centres on concerns that GHF’s proposed distribution model could violate key humanitarian principles.
GHF denied the allegations, stating it “strictly adheres” to humanitarian law and would not endorse forced relocation. The aid plan is outlined in a leaked letter from GHF Executive Director Jake Wood to COGAT – the Israeli military body managing Gaza logistics.
The plan proposes a phased model: food entry, the creation of Israeli-military-secured aid distribution points run by US firms, and the establishment of a “sterile zone” in south Gaza in which civilians would be relocated from active conflict areas.
The UN has rejected the framework, warning it risks supplanting the current humanitarian system managed by the UN and its partners. Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA, said it reflects “an attempt to force Palestinians from north to south,” undermining the UN’s existing network of 400 aid sites across the strip.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) also strongly criticised initial plans on May 9th for aid distribution, Middle East Eye via Reuters reported.
UNICEF spokesperson James Elder said the proposed system of four secure distribution sites risks turning aid into a tool of coercion, Reuters reported on May 9th. He said: “It appears the design of a plan presented by Israel to the humanitarian community will increase ongoing suffering of children and families in the Gaza Strip.”
Several NGOs named in GHF’s letter, including Mercy Corps, Care International, Project Hope, and Save the Children, have dissacociated themselves from the initiative. They confirmed contact with the foundation but denied entering any formal partnerships.
GHF has faced increased scrutiny following separate investigations by The Washington Post and The New York Times, which prompted questions on the group’s connections to Israeli officials.
The legal review comes amid rising international alarm over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Nearly 11 weeks into Israel’s resumed total siege, more than two million Palestinians are at risk of famine. The blockade has left the enclave critically short of food, medicine, and fuel. Under mounting pressure, Israel has permitted limited aid to enter.
Middle East Eye via Reuters
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