New US-backed group says it will start aid operations in Gaza within weeks

WASHINGTON (AP) — A new humanitarian organization that has U.S. backing to take over aid delivery to starving civilians in Gaza said Wednesday that it expects to begin operations before the end of the month — after what it describes as key agreements from Israeli officials.

A statement from the group, called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, identified several U.S. military veterans, former humanitarian coordinators and security contractors that it said would lead the delivery effort.

But it failed to address much of the criticism and unanswered questions that the international community has about the group, including who would fund the work and how much involvement the U.S., Israel or any other government or military would have in controlling life-saving aid for Palestinian civilians.

In an interview Wednesday with The Associated Press, Tom Fletcher, the U.N. humanitarian chief, said the U.S.-backed proposal is “far from being able to meet” the conditions of humanitarian law.

“That’s why we need to stick to the better plan, our plan A, which is just let us in. We can make sure this aid doesn’t get anywhere near Hamas,” Fletcher said, referencing Israeli claims that the militant group is diverting supplies. “We have our procedures. We care more than anyone about making sure that it gets to the children and civilians and women who need it most.”

Israel has blocked food, fuel, medicine and all other supplies from entering Gaza for weeks, worsening a humanitarian crisis for 2.3 million Palestinians. It has said it won’t allow aid back in until a system is in place that gives it control over distribution.

Many in the aid community believe the new distribution system is meant to supplant the current one run by the U.N. and other international aid agencies. The U.N. and many aid groups have rejected Israel’s efforts to control aid distribution, saying it would be all but impossible for a new startup group to meet the humanitarian needs of Gaza civilians after 19 months of food shortages and war.

Aid groups say they also fear the attempt would violate humanitarian principles of operating independently with neutrality and impartiality.

In Wednesday’s statement, foundation executive director Jake Wood, a U.S. military veteran and co-founder of an existing disaster relief group called Team Rubicon, said the commitment to starting operations within weeks follows discussions with Israeli officials.

Wood indicated Israelis had agreed to allow the foundation to deliver aid through existing systems in Gaza temporarily while the group builds new distribution sites that Israel has demanded for aid.

Israelis also have agreed to allow more sites to be constructed to allow aid distribution in all of Gaza, and look for ways to get aid to those too malnourished, maimed by fighting, too old or too young to travel long distances to one of the aid sides, the foundation’s statement said.

The foundation was in the “final stages” of gathering enough aid to serve 300 million meals in the first 90 days of operation, Wood wrote.

Israel’s mission to the United Nations didn’t immediately respond to messages seeking comment about the foundation’s statement.

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Amiri reported from the United Nations.