The United States is giving $ 30 million to a controversial humanitarian group that provides assistance to Gaza given by war, despite concerns between some US officials about the work and murder of Palestinians near food distribution areas, according to four sources.
Washington has long supported the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), but this is the first known economic contribution of the US government to the organization. GHF uses private US military and supply operations to transfer assistance to the Palestinian enclave to distribute to so -called secure locations.
A document examined by Reuters showed that the $ 30 million grant by the US Service for International Development (USAID) was authorized on Friday under “Priority Directive” by the White House and Foreign Department. The document also noted an initial disbursement of $ 7 million.
The United States could approve additional monthly grants of $ 30 million for GHF, two of the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said.
The White House reported questions to the Foreign Ministry, which did not respond immediately to comments. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation refused to comment on US funding or worries about functioning. The Israeli embassy also did not immediately respond to a request for comments.
At the approval of funding, sources reported that the Foreign Ministry was excluded from the Foundation-whose finances have not been publicly disclosed-from a control usually required for the first USAID recipients.
“Such a check would normally take many, many weeks, if not months,” said One Source, a former US senior official.
The GHF was also excluded from the additional examination required for groups of assistance to Gaza-ruled by Hamas backed by Iran-to secure links to extremism, sources said.
GHF is working with a profit -making company Safe Reach Solutions, led by a former CIA officer and a security contractor, UG Solutions, who employs US military veterans.
Concerns about violence
Reuters said earlier this month that US Israeli ally asked President Donald Trump’s administration to give $ 500 million to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Sources said the money would come from USAID, which is folded at the Foreign Ministry.
Some US officials opposed funding on concerns about violence near distribution areas, GHF’s inexperience and its dependence on US speculative supply and private military operations, four sources said.
Since Israel has raised an 11-week blockade in Gaza on May 19, the tradition of United Nations’s limited traditions for repetition-the United Nations reports that more than 400 Palestinians were killed while seeking help from both the United States and GHF businesses.
“The majority of victims have been shot or moved trying to reach the US-Israeli distribution locations deliberately created in military zones,” said Jonathan Whittall, a senior United Nations Aid Officer for Occupied Palestinian territories.
“Others have been killed when the Israeli forces have shooted in Palestinian crowds waiting for food along the way,” he said. “Some people have also been killed or injured by armed gangs.”
In response, GHF said on Tuesday that it had delivered 40 million meals to Gaza so far. He claimed that the UN and other teams were fighting due to looting of trucks and warehouses.
A GHF spokesman said none of his trucks had been looted:
“Bottom line, our help is safely delivered.
Earlier this month, GHF briefly stopped the traditions of the Israeli press to improve citizens’ safety near its locations, as dozens of Palestinians were killed in search of help. The team claims that there were no incidents at its own distribution points.
The UN has long described Gaza’s help as a opportunistic – corresponding to Israel’s military campaign, limited access and looting by armed gangs. The UN stresses that when a steady flow of help is created, the looting tends to retreat.
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