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The controversial, American and Israeli-supported Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) declares it is winding down its relief activities in the Gaza region, following nearly half a year.

The foundation had already suspended its several relief locations in Gaza after the truce agreement between Hamas and Israel came into force recently.

The foundation sought to bypass the UN as the primary provider of aid to Gaza's population.

International relief agencies would not collaborate with its system, claiming it was unethical and unsafe.

Hundreds of Palestinians were lost their lives while seeking food amid disorderly situations near the foundation's locations, mostly by Israeli fire, according to the UN.

The Israeli military claimed its troops fired warning shots.

Program Termination

The GHF said on Monday that it was concluding activities now because of the "successful completion of its crisis response", with a aggregate of 3 million parcels containing the corresponding to over 187 million food portions delivered to Palestinians.

The organization's top administrator, Jon Acree, further mentioned the United States-operated coordination body - which has been created to help carry out US President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan - would be "adopting and expanding the approach the organization demonstrated".

"The organization's system, in which Hamas could no longer loot and profit from stealing aid, had major impact in getting Hamas to the table and establishing a truce."

Comments and Positions

Hamas - which denies stealing aid - supported the shutdown of the aid organization, as indicated by media.

A representative of said GHF should be held accountable for the negative impact it created to local residents.

"We urge all international human rights organisations to ensure that it does not escape accountability after causing the death and injury of numerous Palestinians and covering up the food deprivation strategy implemented by the Israeli government."

Operational Background

The organization commenced activities in Gaza on May 26th, a week after Israel had partially eased a total blockade on aid and commercial deliveries to Gaza that lasted 11 weeks and caused severe shortages of vital resources.

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

The foundation's nourishment distribution centers in various parts of the Palestinian territory were administered by US private security contractors and located inside Israeli military zones.

Humanitarian Concerns

United Nations agencies and their collaborators stated the system contravened the basic relief guidelines of neutrality, impartiality and independence, and that guiding distressed residents into military-controlled areas was fundamentally dangerous.

The UN's human rights office reported it tracked the fatalities of no fewer than 859 Gazans trying to acquire sustenance in the area surrounding organization centers between late May through end of July.

A further 514 persons were lost their lives close to the routes of UN and other aid convoys, it further stated.

Most of them were killed by the Israel's armed forces, based on the agency's reports.

Divergent Narratives

Israeli defense forces stated its soldiers had discharged cautionary rounds at persons who advanced toward them in a "intimidating" fashion.

The foundation stated there were no shootings at the distribution centers and claimed the international organization of using "untrue and confusing" statistics from Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry.

Ongoing Situation

The foundation's prospects had been indefinite since Hamas and Israel agreed a truce agreement to execute the initial stage of the American administration's peace initiative.

The arrangement specified humanitarian assistance would take place "absent meddling from the both sides through the United Nations and its agencies, and the Red Crescent, in addition to other global organizations not linked whatsoever" with militant groups and the Israeli government.

United Nations representative Stephane Dujarric stated recently that the foundation's closure would have "zero effect" on its operations "since we never collaborated with them".

The official further mentioned that while more aid was getting into Gaza since the truce was implemented on early October, it was "insufficient to meet all the needs" of the 2.1 million population.