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| The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), a landmark document adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948. |
GENEVA – UN experts* today expressed grave concern over the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s (GHF) operations, saying Palestinians are paying the ultimate price of the international community’s legal, political and moral failure.
The experts recalled that under international humanitarian law, Israel as the occupying power has binding obligations to the people under its control. As per Geneva Convention IV and the Hague Regulations, civilians in occupied territory must be protected and provided with essential services. Humanitarian relief operations must be protected and facilitated, but must also strictly respect the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence.
“The GHF, a non-governmental organisation created by Israel in February 2025, with US support, to allegedly distribute aid in Gaza, is an utterly disturbing example of how humanitarian relief can be exploited for covert military and geopolitical agendas in serious breach of international law,” the experts said. “The entanglement of Israeli intelligence, US contractors and ambiguous non-governmental entities underlines the urgent need for robust international oversight and action under UN auspices.”
“Under any circumstances, when war crimes are overlooked in exchange for temporary relief, impunity can become normalised. Yet, in this case, we are leaving a State accused of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in charge of feeding the population affected by the genocide without oversight and with impunity. This overt hypocrisy is disturbing,” the experts said.
Israeli forces and foreign military contractors continue to open indiscriminate fire on people seeking aid at so-called “distribution sites” operated by GHF, since it was set up to take-over functions previously performed by United Nations agencies, most notably UNRWA, the UN’s aid agency for Palestinian refugees. Nearly 1400 people have been killed and more than 4000 injured while seeking food. At least 859 people have been killed around GHF sites since the beginning of GHF’s operations in late May 2025. The sites are especially difficult to access to the most vulnerable conditions, such as women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons. Calling it “humanitarian” adds on to Israel’s humanitarian camouflage and is an insult to the humanitarian enterprise and standards,” the experts said.
This tragic development comes amid the forced displacement of over 90 per cent of the population and a staggering death toll is now more than 60,000 people in Gaza. Only in the last few weeks, the Ministry of Health in Gaza has reported 180 deaths due to malnutrition, including 93 children.
“Seeing children dying of hunger in their parents’ arms should shake us out of our complacency,” the experts said.
“Blocking or delaying aid is not just inhumane – it is a war crime where it is intended to starve civilians and in the context of a well-documented and globally denounced genocide," the experts said.
“Securing access to food, water, medicine and critical services is not a matter of charity – it is a legal duty, all the more in the illegally occupied Palestinian territory. We must recall that the ICJ has found the Israeli occupation to be unlawful and ordered Israel to withdraw its troops, dismantle the settlements, and stop exploiting Palestinian resources while racially segregating Palestinians,” the experts said. “Israel must comply with the ICJ decision, and Member States are required to support its enforcement."
“Without clear accountability, the very idea of humanitarian relief may ultimately become a casualty of modern hybrid warfare,” they said.
“The credibility and effectiveness of humanitarian assistance must be restored by dismantling the GHF, holding it and its executives accountable, and allowing experienced and humanitarian actors from the UN and civil society alike to take back the reins of managing and distributing lifesaving aid.”
The experts urged Member States to impose a full arms embargo on Israel due to its multiple violations of international law, and suspend trade and investment agreements that may result in harming the Palestinians and hold corporate entities accountable.
*The Experts:
- Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967
- Tomoya Obokata, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery
- Siobhán Mullally, Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children
- Tlaleng Mofokeng, Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- George Katrougalos, Independent expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order
- Mary Lawlor, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Michael Fakhri, Special Rapporteur on the right to food
- Carlos Arturo Duarte Torres, Working Group on the rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas;
- Balakrishnan Rajagopal, Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing;
- Heba Hagrass, Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Elisa Morgera, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change
- Pedro Arrojo-Agudo, Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation
- Pichamon Yeophantong (Chairperson), Damilola Olawuyi (Vice-Chairperson), Fernanda Hopenhaym, Lyra Jakulevičienė and Robert McCorquodale, Working Group on business and human rights
- Morris Tidball-Binz, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions
- Paula Gaviria Betancur, Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons
- Surya Deva, Special Rapporteur on the right to development
- Alexandra Xanthaki, Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights
- Ashwini K.P., Special Rapporteur on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance
- Laura Nyirinkindi (Chair), Claudia Flores (Vice-Chair), Dorothy Estrada Tanck, Ivana Krstić, and Haina Lu, Working group on discrimination against women and girls
- Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Nicolas Levrat, Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Reem Alsalem, Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences
- Ben Saul, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism
- Bina D’Costa (Chair), Catherine Namakula, Isabelle Mamadou, Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent
- Attiya Waris, Independent Expert on foreign debt and human rights
- Gabriella Citroni (Chair-Rapporteur), Grażyna Baranowska (Vice-Chair), Aua Baldé, Ana Lorena Delgadillo Pérez, Mohammed Al-Obaidi, Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances
- Olivier De Schutter, Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
Situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Israel and Lebanon
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