The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), announced last week by Steve Witkoff, U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, received Israeli approval on Wednesday to begin operations in the Gaza Strip before the end of the month.
According to a statement from the new organization, Jerusalem agreed to expand the number of "safe distribution sites" its personnel can use to deliver aid to Gazan residents.
In a letter sent by the fund’s director, Jake Wood, the Israeli government was urged to "allow sufficient aid to flow into the Strip under existing models until the fund is fully operational." Wood noted that Israel has approved activity in southern Gaza so far but stressed the need to include the north, with the goal of reaching that area within 30 days. However, he added, Israeli authorities have expressed willingness to consider this at a later stage. "A successful humanitarian response must ultimately reach the entire population of Gaza," he wrote.
Wood stated that the fund is in the "final stages" of gathering humanitarian supplies, including 300 million meals to be distributed during the first 90 days of activity. “The fund operates independently of direct government influence, featuring fortified, closed distribution sites monitored in real time, armored vehicles and professional civilian security—with no military presence whatsoever,” the statement read.
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According to the fund, these sites aim to serve 1.2 million people in the first phase, with the intention to eventually reach over 2 million Gazans. Each site is designed to serve approximately 300,000 people and will provide ready-made food, clean water, hygiene kits, medical supplies and temporary accommodations. The average donation needed to fund 50 family meals is estimated at just $65—$1.31 per meal, including procurement, transport, security and distribution.
GHF emphasized that “every dollar is traceable” through real-time monitoring systems, public dashboards, beneficiary feedback mechanisms and independent audits by one of the world’s largest accounting firms. All logistics will be handled with full transparency, including the use of recognized financial platforms.
Jake Wood, a former U.S. Marine and founder of another veteran-led humanitarian organization, said: “There’s no time to wait for ideal conditions. We have a responsibility to act—without compromising our principles. Today we took another step in the right direction.” He said the new model is based on "neutrality, transparency and full external oversight," aiming to restore donor trust, which has eroded due to repeated diversions of humanitarian aid in the Strip.
Officials from the UN and the international aid community criticized the initiative, calling it a "parallel mechanism" designed to replace existing humanitarian frameworks led by UN agencies and long-established aid organizations. Tom Fletcher, head of UN humanitarian operations, said: "The U.S. model still falls short of international humanitarian law. We’re simply asking to be let in. We know how to ensure aid doesn’t reach Hamas."
Despite the criticism, the American fund clarified that it is open to collaborating with any organization willing to route its aid through the fund's infrastructure—either from the Port of Ashdod or via the Kerem Shalom crossing—while ensuring secure and monitored distribution. GHF officials said their aim is to “combine advanced logistics with civilian partnerships and international trust to provide an effective, non-political emergency response for Gaza’s residents.”
Although Israel has not officially responded to the GHF’s announcement, the approval for its activity—amid preparations for a broader military offensive in Gaza—appears intended to serve as part of a broader international effort to deflect criticism of Israeli policy in the enclave and present a “humanitarian front” alongside ongoing military pressure.