New York: U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres issued a harsh critique of a U.S.-supported humanitarian initiative in Gaza on Friday, warning that the operation is endangering civilian lives. “It is inherently unsafe,” he said. “It is killing people.”
The U.S. and Israel are pushing the United Nations to coordinate with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a new aid mechanism launched in May. However, the U.N. has declined to cooperate, raising concerns about the foundation’s neutrality and accusing its approach of turning humanitarian relief into a militarized effort that worsens civilian displacement.
“Any operation that drives desperate people into militarized zones is unsafe by nature,” Guterres told reporters in New York. “This is not aid – it is a death trap.”
He warned that the U.N.'s own relief work is being severely hindered, with humanitarian staff facing starvation and restrictions. “Israel, as the occupying power, has a legal responsibility to allow and facilitate aid,” Guterres said. “People are dying just trying to find food for their families. Searching for food must never mean signing your death warrant.”
Calling for an urgent ceasefire, the U.N. chief urged the international community to muster the political will to stop the violence.
Since Israel lifted an 11-week blockade on aid to Gaza in mid-May, over 400 Palestinians have reportedly died while attempting to access food aid, according to the U.N. Most of those casualties occurred near GHF distribution points, a senior U.N. official said.
Israel's Foreign Ministry pushed back sharply, denying any deliberate targeting of civilians and accusing the U.N. of undermining the GHF effort. In a post on X, the ministry claimed the U.N. was “siding with Hamas,” which it alleged is also trying to sabotage the GHF’s operations.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation defended its record, stating that there have been no fatalities at its aid sites. “The U.N. continues to spread misinformation about our work,” a GHF spokesperson said. “We are feeding people. Instead of criticizing from the sidelines, the U.N. should join us on the ground.”
GHF began operations on May 26 and uses private U.S. contractors for security and logistics. The group claims it has delivered over 48 million meals to Gaza so far. On Thursday, the U.S. State Department confirmed $30 million in funding for the foundation and encouraged other nations to contribute.
Both Israel and the U.S. have accused Hamas of stealing aid from U.N. operations—an allegation the militant group denies.
