Israel will only be involved in security of new Gaza aid plan, US envoy says

Jerusalem — A US-backed mechanism for distributing aid into Gaza should take effect soon, Washington’s ambassador to Israel said on Friday ahead of President Donald Trump’s visit to the Middle East, but he gave few details.

Gaza’s residents are facing a growing humanitarian crisis with Israel enforcing a months-long blockade on aid supplies to the small Palestinian enclave in its war against militant group Hamas.

Ambassador Mike Huckabee said several partners had already committed to taking part in the aid arrangement, but he declined to name them, saying details would be released in the coming days.

“There has been a good initial response,” the former Republican governor told reporters at the embassy in Jerusalem.

“There are nonprofit organisations that will be a part of the leadership,” he said, adding that other organisations and governments would also need to be involved, though not Israel.

Tikva Forum, a hawkish Israeli group representing some relatives of hostages held in Gaza, criticised the announcement, saying aid deliveries should be conditional on Hamas releasing the 59 captives in Gaza.

Trump, who wants to broker a deal that would see Israel and Saudi Arabia establish diplomatic relations, will visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates next week.

Trump had teased a major announcement ahead of the trip. It was unclear if that was what Huckabee announced on Friday.

Anticipation has been building about a new aid plan for Gaza, laid waste by 19 months of an Israeli military campaign against Hamas that has destroyed much of the infrastructure and displaced most of its 2.3-million population several times.

“It will not be perfect, especially in the early days,” Huckabee said. “It is a logistical challenge to make this work.”

European leaders and aid groups have criticised a plan by Israel, which has prevented aid from entering Gaza since breaking a ceasefire with Hamas in March, for private companies to take over humanitarian distributions in the enclave.

Israel has accused agencies including the UN of allowing aid to fall into the hands of Hamas, which it has said is seizing supplies intended for civilians and given them to its own forces or selling them to raise funds.

Criticism of aid plans

“The Israelis are going to be involved in providing necessary military security because it is a war zone, but they will not be involved in the distribution of the food or even bringing the food into Gaza,” Huckabee told a media conference.

Asked whether the supply of aid hinged on a ceasefire being restored, Huckabee said: “The humanitarian aid will not depend on anything other than our ability to get the food into Gaza.”

The UN Children’s Fund (Unicef) on Friday criticised emerging plans to take over distribution of aid in Gaza floated by both Israel and the US, saying this would increase suffering for children and families.

A proposal is circulating among the aid community for a Gaza humanitarian foundation that would distribute food from four “secure distribution sites”, resembling plans announced by Israel earlier this week, but drew criticism that it would effectively worsen displacement among the Gaza population.

Huckabee said there would be an “initial number” of distribution centres that could feed “perhaps over 1-million people” before being scaled up to ultimately reach 2-million.

“Private security” would be responsible for the safety of workers getting into the distribution centres and in the distribution of the food itself, Huckabee said, declining to comment on rules of engagement for security personnel.

“Everything would be done in accordance with international law,” he said.

Mediation efforts by the US, Qatar, and Egypt have not been successful in implementing a second phase of the ceasefire. Israel demands the total disarmament of Hamas, which the Islamist group rejects.

Hamas has said it is willing to free all remaining hostages seized by its gunmen in attacks on communities in southern Israel on October 7 2023, and agree to a permanent ceasefire if Israel pulls out completely from Gaza.

Israel has said it plans to expand its military campaign in Gaza, which has prompted UN warnings of imminent famine confronting its population.

Hamas’ attacks on October 7 2023 killed 1,200 people and 251 were taken hostage back to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies. Israel’s campaign has killed more than 52,000 Palestinians, according to Hamas-run health authorities. 

Reuters