GENEVA, 18 June. - (ANA) - The use of the Israel and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation to distribute food in the Palestinian territory is "outrageous", the head of a UN inquiry said Wednesday.

 

Navi Pillay, who chairs the UN's Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Israel and the Palestinian territories, joined a growing chorus of criticism of the GHF's operations, and cited its US links.

 

"In every war, the siege and starvation surely leads to death," the former UN rights chief told journalists.

 

"But this initiative of what's called a foundation, a private foundation, to supply food, is what I see as outrageous, because it involves the United States itself, the government, and it turns out, as we watch daily, that people who go to those centres are being killed as they seek food."

 

Hundreds of people have been massacred and thousands wounded by Israeli forces since the GHF began operations three weeks ago, with aid seekers being fired on by soldiers, drones and tanks on almost a daily basis.

 

The UN, aid agencies and experts in international humanitarian law have expressed outrage at the Israeli scheme, which they say is designed to militarise aid delivery and facilitate the mass displacement of Palestinians.   - (ANA) - 

 

AB/ANA/18 June 2025 - - -