At least 798 people have been killed while trying to access food at aid distribution points operated by the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) and other humanitarian relief convoys since the end of May, said the UN human rights office on Friday.
The GHF – proposed by Israel as an alternative to the UN aid system in Gaza – has been almost universally condemned by rights groups for its violation of principles of humanitarian impartiality and what they have said could be complicity in war crimes, reports The Guardian.
UN Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said, "Up until 7 July, we've recorded 798 killings, including 615 in the vicinity of the GHF, and 183 presumably on the route of aid convoys."
She made this disclosure to the reporters in Geneva.
Israel backed the GHF after claiming that Hamas diverted aid from the UN-led aid system, a claim for which the UN said there was no evidence. The private company employs American mercenaries to oversee four food distribution zones, as opposed to the previous 400 non-militarised zones run under the UN system.
Dismissing the deadly incidents that occurred at its site, the GHF said the UN figures were "false and misleading." A GHF spokesperson said, "The fact is the deadliest attacks on aid sites have been linked to UN convoys."
The GHF also denied that any injuries were inflicted at any of its sites, blaming Israeli troops firing on Palestinians trying to reach the four hubs it has established in southern and central Gaza.
In Gaza, the GHF has become infamous for the near-daily shootings of people seeking food who have queued to receive meals since the group started operating in early May. Palestinians seeking food have to navigate a complicated set of instructions and stick to specific routes, as well as walk long distances to access the food sites. Even then, there is no guarantee they will be safe.
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