US Pledges $30 Million to Gaza Humanitarian Foundation Amid Aid Center Casualties

US Funding for Gaza Humanitarian Foundation

• 🇺🇸 The United States is providing $30 million in funding to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
• 🎯 This marks the first known direct US funding for the GHF, an organization backed by both the US and Israel.
• 🗓️ The GHF has been operating in Gaza since late May, following an 11-week Israeli aid blockade.

Aid Distribution and Casualties

• 📍 The GHF operates four aid distribution sites, all located in the south of Gaza, with two in Rafah, one in Khan Younis, and one in the middle camps.
• ⚠️ The UN reported that over 400 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli military in recent weeks while attempting to collect food at these distribution sites.
• 👥 Thousands of people gather nightly at these centers, often in darkness, leading to incidents where Israeli drones and tanks have reportedly opened fire.
• 🗺️ The distribution sites are in areas under Israeli security control, with a presence of Israeli troops nearby, though not inside the centers.

Challenges and Needs

• 🚫 Gazans resort to these sites because they have no other alternative, preferring previous mechanisms of aid delivery to their neighborhoods.
• 🌍 The UN agencies, which previously handled distribution, are not supported by the Americans, who prefer the new GHF mechanism.
• 💰 While the $30 million is appreciated, it is considered very little compared to Gaza's needs, with an estimated cost of half a million dollars per truck and a daily requirement of 400-500 trucks.