During a heated exchange at the United Nations Security Council, Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon accused the international body of employing ‘mafia-like’ tactics to silence NGOs collaborating with the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which has become a focal point of geopolitical tensions. Danon, addressing the council, alleged that the U.N. had engaged in ‘threats, intimidation, and retaliation’ against NGOs that dared to defy its stance on boycotting GHF. The ambassador described the U.N.’s actions as a form of ‘extortion’ of well-meaning organizations, claiming that the international body violated its own principles by removing such NGOs from a key aid database without any procedural safeguards. This database, critical for tracking aid deliveries into Gaza, has been central to the humanitarian crisis, and Danon emphasized that the U.N.’s actions amounted to a dangerous overreach.
Meanwhile, the United States has pushed for collaboration between the U.N., GHF, and Israel to establish a secure aid distribution system that prevents Hamas from benefiting. Acting U.S. Alternate Representative John Kelley advocated for a cooperative framework during the Security Council meeting, stressing the urgency of creating an operational model that serves all stakeholders. However, the U.N. remains divided in its stance, with Tom Fletcher, the U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, openly opposing GHF. Fletcher, who previously referred to the initiative as a ‘fig leaf for further violence and displacement’ of Palestinians in Gaza, has called for the U.N. to take charge of aid distribution. He has reiterated that the U.N. already has the resources, planning, and networks to deliver substantial aid to civilians in Gaza in line with humanitarian principles, asserting that the international community should not waste time on the U.S.-backed plan.
GHF, despite the criticisms, has maintained that its operations in Gaza have been largely uncontested, with no reports of casualties or misconduct among beneficiaries. The organization stated that it opened another secure aid distribution site without incident, addressing concerns about its operations. It also clarified that no Palestinians had been questioned, detained, or injured while receiving aid. GHF further denied reports of its sites being overrun, attributing any difficulties to Hamas-imposed blockades and the acute hunger in the region. Despite these claims, the international community, including key U.N. officials, has not relented in its opposition to GHF, framing it as a potential catalyst for continued violence and displacement in Gaza.
As the conflict in Gaza continues to escalate, the U.N.’s role in managing aid distribution remains a contentious issue. The IDF’s recent statement that 121 trucks from the U.N. and the international community had been allowed into Gaza underscored the complexity of the humanitarian situation. With the U.N. divided and the U.S. pushing for a collaborative approach, the humanitarian efforts in Gaza remain a battleground of political and ideological differences, with significant implications for the lives of civilians caught in the crossfire.