Gaza Humanitarian Foundation 'failed in its humanitarian mission,' says speaker of the Palestinian National Council
The speaker of the Palestinian National Council on Wednesday strongly criticized the Israeli aid mechanism, the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), for failing to protect civilians during aid distribution, accusing the initiative of turning into "execution sites" for ongoing Israeli attacks.
Speaking at a press briefing at the United Nations offices in Geneva, Rawhi Fatooh responded to a question from Anadolu, saying the group “has set up several locations in the Gaza Strip to provide our people with supplies and food aid, but unfortunately, these have become death traps and execution sites."
"Every day, we lose dozens of Palestinian martyrs and hundreds of wounded who go to American-backed food distribution centers and are killed by the Israeli army surrounding these sites, and sometimes by the American guards stationed there," Fatooh said.
He urged the UN and its agencies to step in and assume control of aid distribution. "We hope that the United Nations agencies, especially UNRWA (UN agency for Palestinian refugees), which has 36 years of experience, will distribute these materials to our people and fulfill the will of our people.”
He said the Palestinian leadership had objected to the Israeli- and US-backed group’s involvement from the beginning: "From the outset, we have demanded that this institution not be granted access, because it has become a death trap, a place of death, an execution site for our Palestinian people.”
"The Gaza institution has failed in its humanitarian mission," he said, referring to the group, which has drawn controversy with more than 1,000 aid-seeking Palestinians killed during its aid distribution since this May.
He also called for the International Red Cross to take over medical responsibilities in Gaza “in cooperation with the Palestinian Red Crescent."
- Recognition of Palestinian state by UK, France 'step in right direction'
Taking another question from Anadolu, Fatooh also welcomed the recent decision by the UK and France to recognize the state of Palestine, calling it a long-overdue and essential move for peace.
"France and Britain's recognition (decision) of the state of Palestine, we say that this is a step in the right direction and must be done," he said.
Rejecting claims that such recognition rewards Palestinian group Hamas, Fatooh emphasized: "Anyone who claims that the recognition of the state of Palestine is a reward for Hamas is contrary to the truth. Recognition of the state of Palestine is indeed a reward for peace in the Middle East, not a reward for Hamas."
He called on the rest of the international community to follow suit: "We call on all countries that have not recognized the state of Palestine to join in recognizing it, so that we can achieve peace in the Middle East."
"Peace in the Middle East, which will be reflected in the entire international community, will not be achieved except through the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital," he added.
