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The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees has fiercely criticised a new US-backed aid system operating in the Gaza Strip, calling it a “death trap” that worsens the suffering of civilians.
Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of UNRWA, described the recently created Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) as “an abomination that humiliates and degrades desperate people” during a press conference in Berlin on Tuesday.
“It is a death trap costing more lives than it saves,” Lazzarini said, highlighting the lethal risks faced by Palestinians attempting to access food and aid under the new system.
The GHF, officially a private entity, was established by the United States in early May after Israel imposed a complete blockade on supplies entering Gaza for over two months. It began distributing aid on 26 May, effectively sidelining UNRWA, which has traditionally led international relief efforts for Palestinians in the region.
Israel has long accused UNRWA of supporting Hamas militants—allegations that led to a ban on the agency operating on Israeli soil and communicating with Israeli officials earlier this year. The UN and major humanitarian organisations have refused to cooperate with the GHF, citing concerns that it serves Israeli military interests rather than addressing genuine humanitarian needs.
Since GHF’s operations began, dozens of aid distribution sites have become flashpoints for deadly violence. According to figures released by Gaza’s health ministry on Saturday, at least 450 people have been killed and nearly 3,500 injured by Israeli forces while trying to reach aid distribution points since late May—many of them near GHF locations. Israel has rejected these accusations.
Lazzarini urged that UNRWA be allowed to resume its operations in Gaza, arguing that the UN and its partners possess the necessary experience to manage aid efforts safely and fairly.
“The humanitarian community, including UNRWA, has the expertise and must be allowed to do their job and provide assistance with respect and dignity,” he said. “There is no other alternative to address the challenges of spreading hunger in the Gaza Strip.”
