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The debated, US and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) declares it is winding down its aid operations in the Palestinian territory, following nearly half a year.

The foundation had already suspended its several relief locations in Gaza subsequent to the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel took effect six weeks ago.

The foundation sought to avoid UN systems as the main supplier of relief to Palestinian residents.

UN and other aid agencies refused to co-operate with its system, saying it was questionable and hazardous.

Hundreds of Palestinians were killed while trying to acquire nourishment amid chaotic scenes near GHF's sites, mostly by Israeli fire, as reported by United Nations.

Israeli authorities stated its soldiers fired cautionary rounds.

Program Termination

The organization declared on recently that it was winding down operations now because of the "satisfactory fulfillment of its crisis response", with a aggregate of 3 million parcels containing the amounting to in excess of 187 million sustenance units delivered to Palestinians.

The foundation's chief officer, the executive director, further mentioned the United States-operated coordination body - which has been set up to help execute the American administration's Gaza initiative - would be "adopting and expanding the model GHF piloted".

"The foundation's approach, in which Palestinian factions were unable to divert and benefit from humanitarian assistance, had major impact in getting Hamas to the table and achieving a ceasefire."

Comments and Positions

The militant group - which disputes allegations of misappropriation - welcomed the closure of the aid organization, according to reports.

A spokesman for declared the foundation should be made responsible for the negative impact it created to Gazans.

"We urge all international human rights organisations to guarantee that responsibility is assigned after causing the death and injury of thousands of Gazans and obscuring the food deprivation strategy employed by the Israeli authorities."

Foundation History

The foundation started work in Gaza on late May, a week after Israeli authorities had somewhat relaxed a comprehensive closure on relief and commercial goods to Gaza that lasted 11 weeks and resulted in critical deficits of vital resources.

After 90 days, a famine was declared in Gaza City.

The foundation's nourishment distribution centers in the southern and middle regions of Gaza were managed by American private security firms and positioned in areas controlled by Israeli forces.

Humanitarian Concerns

United Nations agencies and their collaborators said the system breached the fundamental humanitarian principles of neutrality, impartiality and independence, and that directing needy individuals into armed forces regions was inherently unsafe.

United Nations human rights division stated it documented the deaths of a minimum of 859 residents trying to acquire sustenance in the area surrounding organization centers between late May through end of July.

Another 514 people were killed near the routes of UN and other aid convoys, it added.

Most of them were lost their lives due to the Israeli military, as per the organization's documentation.

Contrasting Reports

Israeli defense forces claimed its soldiers had released alerting fire at people who approached them in a "menacing" way.

The GHF said there were no shootings at the aid sites and accused the UN of using "inaccurate and deceptive" data from the Gazan medical department controlled by militant factions.

Ongoing Situation

The GHF's future had been indefinite since Hamas and Israel agreed a ceasefire deal to carry out the first phase of the United States' reconciliation proposal.

The arrangement specified humanitarian assistance would take place "without interference from the both sides through the UN organizations and their partners, and the Red Crescent, in addition to other international institutions not connected in any way" with militant groups and the Israeli government.

International organization official the international body's communicator stated recently that the organization's termination would have "zero effect" on its operations "because we never worked with them".

He also said that while more aid was getting into Gaza since the truce was implemented on 10 October, it was "inadequate to satisfy all requirements" of the 2.1 million residents.