GENEVA – The United Nations has strongly condemned Israel’s handling of food aid in Gaza, accusing the country of “weaponising food” and contributing to the worsening humanitarian crisis in the besieged territory.
Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, UN human rights office spokesman Thameen Al-Kheetan said that Israel’s military-backed food distribution efforts — mainly led by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) — violate international aid standards. He warned that denying food or restricting access to essential services can amount to a war crime.
Since GHF began operating on May 26, reports say over 400 Palestinians have been killed and thousands injured while trying to access food aid. Al-Kheetan said desperate civilians face a horrifying choice: “starve to death or risk being shot while seeking food.” The UN and major aid agencies have refused to work with GHF due to its unclear funding and suspected alignment with Israeli military goals.
Philippe Lazzarini, the head of UNRWA, also blasted the GHF system, calling it an “abomination” that degrades and humiliates already desperate people. “It’s a death trap costing more lives than it saves,” he said at a press conference in Berlin. He urged the international community to let UNRWA resume its aid work inside Gaza.
Despite the criticism, GHF claims to have delivered over 680,000 food boxes, insisting its system is working “safely and securely.” However, the UN has called for urgent change, stating that “humanitarian assistance must never be used as a bargaining chip” and demanding that Israeli forces “stop shooting at people trying to get food.”
The UN stressed that immediate international action is needed to restore safe, respectful, and professional humanitarian operations. With all of Gaza’s population at risk of famine, the situation remains critical.