This is 'the first delivery of major aid, if not the only aid we've been hearing (of) for months,' says spokesperson Tammy Bruce
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) has delivered 462,000 meals to Palestinians "who desperately need it" through 8,000 food boxes, US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said Tuesday.
Bruce told reporters that the US-backed organization commenced providing aid to Gazans "under the humanitarian principles of independence and impartiality" amid continuing Israeli attacks.
Each food box feeds 5.5 people for three and a half days, she said, calling this "the first delivery of major aid, if not the only aid we've been hearing (of) for months."
Her remarks came amid reports of attacks by the Israeli army on Palestinians rushing to an aid distribution facility in the southern city of Rafah, where several were injured, according to local authorities.
“The Israeli occupation's plan for aid distribution in the so-called buffer zone has failed disastrously,” Gaza's Government Media Office said in a statement.
It said Israeli forces opened fire after thousands of starving Palestinians rushed to the distribution facility.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned that recent reports of aid distribution by the GHF risk distracting from the urgent humanitarian priorities in Gaza, such as sustained access, safe conditions, and expedited approval of emergency supplies.
TRIAL International has reiterated its call for Swiss authorities to investigate the activities of the Geneva-based GHF, raising alarm over its use of private military contractors for protecting its sites and warning of serious risks to civilians in the Gaza Strip.
Critics also warn that requiring Palestinians to travel long distances to southern Gaza distribution points could force displacement and endanger civilians.
Bruce declined to address these concerns during the press briefing, focusing instead on the foundation's aid delivery achievements.
Israel has kept Gaza crossings closed to food, medical and humanitarian aid since March 2, deepening an already severe humanitarian crisis in the enclave, according to government, human rights and international reports.
The Israeli army, rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, has pursued a brutal offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing more than 54,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war crimes against civilians in the enclave.
