Said Amori and Mohammad Sio
26 May 2025•Update: 26 May 2025
- New aid distribution mechanism aims to accelerate Palestinians' evacuation from northern Gaza to southern part in preparation for their displacement under US President Donald Trump's plan, according to Israel's Army Radio
JERUSALEM / ISTANBUL
The new humanitarian aid distribution mechanism in Gaza, coordinated with private US firms, is set to launch on Monday. However, Israeli media have highlighted two significant flaws, fearing the system will not meet the needs of the entire population.
The plan involves establishing four aid distribution centers—three in Rafah (south Gaza) and one in central Gaza—serving approximately 1.2 million people. Around one million residents in northern Gaza will remain without access, Israeli Army Radio reported on Sunday.
“Contrary to earlier plans, Gazans will reach the distribution centers without going through prior screening through the drains. This means that Hamas members will also be allowed, ostensibly, to enter the centers and receive assistance,” the report said.
There was no comment from Hamas regarding the reported developments as of yet.
The aid mechanism is being implemented by a recently established Swiss-based nonprofit organization called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), reportedly founded by US presidential envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, a figure close to former President Donald Trump, according to Israeli media sources.
Army Radio acknowledged that this plan aims to accelerate the evacuation of Palestinians from the northern Gaza Strip to the southern part in preparation for their displacement under US President Donald Trump's plan, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared to be one of the war's objectives.
Israel Hayom daily cited unnamed Israeli political sources who confirmed the mechanism's start date was postponed from Sunday to Monday. Meanwhile, photos circulated last week by Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper showed heavily armed aid workers in flak jackets, allegedly linked to the GHF operation.
Israel has kept Gaza crossings closed to food, medical, and humanitarian aid since March 2, deepening an already severe humanitarian crisis in the enclave, affecting Gaza’s 2.4 million residents. The blockade has pushed the region into famine conditions, with many reported deaths due to hunger.
Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing more than 53,900 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 defenseless civilians in the enclave.
