The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) was launched in February 2025, gaining backing from both the U.S. and Israeli governments as an alternative to the criticized United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). It announced on Monday that its operation to provide food aid in Gaza has concluded, with over 187 million meals distributed at no cost.
“From the start, GHF aimed to address urgent needs and show that new methods can succeed where others have struggled, ultimately benefiting the global community,” remarked John Ackley, GHF’s Executive Director.
He mentioned, “With the formation of the Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) and the mobilization of the international humanitarian community, we believe that moment has arrived.”
The CMCC,established by U.S. Central Command in mid-October, currently comprises 21 countries and 20 organizations. Based in southern Israel, the CMCC monitors security threats in Gaza, coordinates humanitarian efforts, and assists in post-war reconstruction. Thanks to its support, around 900 trucks delivering aid are entering Gaza daily.
“At this crucial point, we take pride in being the only aid operation to reliably and safely provide free meals directly to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip on such a large scale without any diversion,” Ackley noted.
He further stated, “From the very beginning, our sole mission has been to feed civilians in dire need. We’ve established a new model that truly works, saves lives, and restores dignity to the people in Gaza.”
GHF released its final report highlighting the necessity of creating a safe and dependable humanitarian environment, free from the “diversion of aid” issues that have affected UNRWA.
“Not a single GHF truck was looted,” claims the report. “Every food package was tracked from warehouse to delivery. This is the gold standard in humanitarian accountability.”
“While other organizations relied on large convoys that were often targeted for looting, GHF developed a site-based distribution model that minimized delays and corruption. Each site was fortified to ensure safety for civilians, rooted in humanitarian compassion and community trust,” the report explained.
In its closing remarks, GHF expressed regret over only managing to create four Secure Distribution Sites (SDS), secure logistics hubs where civilians “can safely approach without disruption or violence” to quickly collect humanitarian supplies.
“GHF sought cooperation with other humanitarian organizations to merge aid operations, but traditional organizations have declined despite experiencing 92% aid diversion due to increased looting and violence along convoy routes,” the farewell statement indicated.
From the start, the UN and many partners opposed GHF, believing it undermined the legitimacy of UN aid efforts, and were concerned that its Israeli backing could give the government too much influence over aid in Gaza.
GHF’s final statement expressed hope that future humanitarian efforts would take on the “positive aspects” of its methods, as summarized in the final report, which ends with a “blueprint for improvement.”
This blueprint included recommendations to act swiftly, remain adaptable, foster trust within communities, utilize advanced data processing for efficiency, and deliver aid with “dignity, fairness, and compassion.”
“We aspire for CMCC and the entire international community to learn from our achievements, grasp the system we’ve established, and replicate it across Gaza to ensure continued secure deliveries of food and other humanitarian aid,” Ackley added.
