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The controversial, US and Israel-backed Gaza relief foundation says it is concluding its aid operations in the Gaza region, after almost six months.

The organisation had already suspended its three food distribution sites in Gaza after the halt in hostilities between Palestinian factions and Israel came into force six weeks ago.

The organization attempted to bypass the UN as the chief distributor of aid to Gaza's population.

International relief agencies refused to co-operate with its system, claiming it was questionable and hazardous.

Numerous Gazans were killed while attempting to obtain sustenance amid disorderly situations near GHF's sites, mostly by Israeli fire, as reported by United Nations.

Israeli authorities stated its troops fired cautionary rounds.

Program Termination

The GHF said on the beginning of the week that it was concluding activities now because of the "successful completion of its emergency mission", with a aggregate of 3 million parcels containing the corresponding to over 187 million food portions delivered to Palestinians.

The foundation's chief officer, the foundation leader, also said the United States-operated coordination body - which has been established to help implement the United States' Palestinian peace proposal - would be "taking over and developing the model GHF piloted".

"GHF's model, in which Palestinian factions were unable to divert and benefit from humanitarian assistance, had major impact in bringing Palestinian factions to negotiations and securing a halt in hostilities."

Reactions and Responses

Hamas - which denies stealing aid - welcomed the closure of the humanitarian foundation, as indicated by media.

An official from declared the organization should be made responsible for the harm it caused to Palestinians.

"We urge all global human rights groups to ensure that it does not escape accountability after causing the death and injury of numerous Palestinians and covering up the starvation policy employed by the Israel's administration."

Foundation History

The GHF began operations in Gaza on May 26th, a week after Israel had partially eased a total blockade on relief and commercial goods to Gaza that lasted 11 weeks and resulted in critical deficits of necessary provisions.

Three months later, a food crisis was announced in the Palestinian urban center.

The GHF's food distribution sites in the southern and middle regions of Gaza were administered by US private security contractors and located inside areas controlled by Israeli forces.

Humanitarian Concerns

International organizations and their affiliates said the approach violated the basic relief guidelines of neutrality, impartiality and independence, and that directing needy individuals into militarised zones was inherently unsafe.

International human rights monitoring body said it recorded the deaths of a minimum of 859 residents attempting to obtain nourishment in the vicinity of GHF sites between 26 May and 31 July.

An additional 514 individuals were lost their lives close to the routes of UN and other aid convoys, it added.

Most of them were killed by the Israel's armed forces, based on the agency's reports.

Conflicting Accounts

Israeli defense forces claimed its troops had discharged cautionary rounds at individuals who came near them in a "menacing" manner.

The foundation stated there were no shootings at the aid sites and alleged that United Nations of using "false and misleading" statistics from Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry.

Future Implications

The organization's continuation had been indefinite since Palestinian factions and Israeli authorities consented a truce agreement to carry out the primary segment of the United States' reconciliation proposal.

The arrangement specified humanitarian assistance would take place "without interference from the both sides through the international bodies and their affiliates, and the international relief society, in conjunction with other international institutions not associated in any manner" with militant groups and the Israeli government.

United Nations representative the international body's communicator stated recently that the organization's termination would have "zero effect" on its activities "as we never partnered with them".

The official further mentioned that while additional assistance was reaching the Palestinian territory since the halt in hostilities began on October 10th, it was "not enough to address all necessities" of the over two million inhabitants.