A US charity has accused the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the controversial US and Israeli-backed group that began food deliveries to Gaza this week, of distributing photographs with its logo on deliveries without permission. Images sent out by GHF this week showed shipments bearing a label from Rahma Worldwide, a US charity based in Michigan, as part of its first distribution of food to sites inside Gaza. The rollout was marred by scenes of chaos after crowds overran one distribution centre managed by GHF and Israeli forces said they had fired “warning shots”. Gaza health officials said at least one civilian had been killed and 48 injured in the incident. The aid bearing the Rahma logo, which was prominently displayed in a press packet distributed by GHF, suggested to some media outlets that the groups were officially partnered. That would be an important endorsement as questions have grown over GHF’s funding and lack of partners or experience in distributing aid. The UN and aid groups have also pushed back against the new system led by GHF. They say that Israel is trying to use food as a weapon and that a new system won’t be effective. In a statement, Rahma said that it had previously “secured all necessary permits” for 4,000 food boxes to cross into Gaza but none had entered. Israel has blocked the UN and other aid organisations from moving food into Gaza, where people are starving. Unable to get the food in, Rahma had allowed the containers to be “taken custody” by GHF. Rahma added, however, that it had refused to allow its personnel to take part in the distribution because of GHF’s use of armed security contractors. “We noticed images of our food boxes with logo being distributed without Rahma’s direct involvement,” the group said in a statement. “Rahma did not authorise such distribution, and none of our team was permitted to participate in this process.” In a separate statement, Rahma’s executive director and founder said it had allowed GHF to transport the aid, which had been stuck at the border, due to the “severe need in Gaza” but had demanded a formal explanation for why that aid had been distributed under its name. “We stipulated that the Rahma logo be removed from the aid parcels,” said Dr Shadi Omar Zaza, the head of Rahma. “To our surprise, the organisation’s logo was not removed, and the security company distributed these parcels bearing the Rahma Worldwide logo.” The group has refused to cooperate with GHF because of its use of armed security contractors, which Zaza said violated the group’s operational charter and humanitarian mandate. “We will not accept, and will not be part of, this aid distribution mechanism – because we do not allow armed actors, we do not allow any armed party to interfere in our relief work,” he said. GHF has been approached for comment.
Author: Andrew Roth in Washington and Emma Graham-Harrison in Jerusalem