Gaza Humanitarian Foundation Passes 50 Million Meals, Despite Hamas Threats

| Published June 29, 2025

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) surpassed a milestone of 50 million meals distributed in Gaza on Sunday, despite the ongoing danger of Hamas, which sees GHF as a threat to its control over aid distribution.

Key achievement:
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a U.S.– and Israel–backed nonprofit established in February 2025, has surpassed 50 million meals distributed to Palestinians in Gaza as of June 29.

The organization’s interim executive chairman, John Acree, said in a statement:

“Our aid workers on the ground continue to carry out extraordinary work under unimaginable conditions. We are aware of credible reports that Hamas is openly targeting the GHF and those who work with us. According to these reports, Hamas has placed bounties on both our American security personnel and Palestinian aid workers—offering cash rewards to anyone who injures or kills them. In recent days, Hamas has also pre-positioned armed operatives near humanitarian zones in an effort to disrupt the only functioning aid delivery system in Gaza.

“Today as we surpass a remarkable milestone–more than 51 million meals delivered–we are keenly aware that we remain targets of Hamas’s brutality for simply trying to feed the people of Gaza in the middle of a war. Yet we will persist. The men, women, and children remind us why we are here: to feed the people of Gaza and stand with them in their time of need.”

The organization also addressed false reports of violence at its aid sites (original emphasis):

INACCURATE NEWS REPORTING: We successfully completed our deliveries today without incident. False allegations of attacks near aid distribution sites have unfortunately become a consistent pattern. Inaccurate reporting of events in the region hampers distribution of life-saving aid to those who need it most.

Our GHF news monitoring continues to reveal inaccurate news coverage by international media outlets linking GHF sites to violent incidents that did not occur near our sites, but in fact occurred at United Nations’ (UN) convoy sites or other humanitarian groups who operate near our site. The UN has confirmed this in their own reporting. We have experienced a growing pattern of false information seemingly formulated by the Gaza Health Ministry, an arm of Hamas, and then reported first by Al Jazeera and then echoed by the UN and it appears now by MSF [Médicins Sans Frontières].

BOTTOM LINE: The Hamas-affiliated Gaza Health Ministry is not a credible source of information.

Security threats:
GHF’s interim executive chairman, John Acree, warned that Hamas has placed bounties on both American security personnel and Palestinian staff and is deploying armed operatives near distribution zones to disrupt operations 

Diverging Narratives on Aid Site Violence

• GHF stance:
  They insist that recent claims of violence at their sites are inaccurate, attributing them to incidents near UN or other agencies’ centers under Gaza Health Ministry/Hamas influence .

• UN and aid groups’ concerns:
  UN Secretary-General António Guterres called the GHF-led effort “inherently unsafe,” noting over 400 Palestinian fatalities at or near GHF distribution points. Separately, AP reported that more than 500 people were killed by live fire while seeking aid.

• Israel’s defense:
  Prime Minister Netanyahu denies soldiers received orders to shoot civilians at aid sites, though investigations are underway .

Support & Criticism

• U.S. funding:
  The U.S. State Department (under the Trump admin) approved $30 million for GHF—its first known federal funding—amid criticisms over bypassed audit procedures .

• Humanitarian backlash:
  Major aid organizations—including the UN, Doctors Without Borders, Oxfam, and UNRWA—have criticized the GHF model as partial, militarized, and potentially serving Israeli strategic aims, with warnings it may constitute war crimes .

Ground Realities in Gaza

• Lawlessness and aid distribution issues:
  The Guardian reports that Gaza has spiraled into near-anarchy—armed gangs, militias, and civilians scuffle over aid, with hospitals like Nasser in Khan Younis attacked during loot-driven gunfights .

• GHF’s operational context:
  Working since May 26, 2025, GHF has built four main hub centers (three in Rafah/Khan Younis, one in central Gaza) with security by U.S. contractors and distant IDF monitoring. Early operations faced armed attacks by Hamas, with 8–12 Palestinian staff reportedly killed in one June incident .

• Scale of delivery:
  From distributing about 8,000 food boxes (~44,000 meals) in its first day to sustaining daily delivery highs of 2.6 million meals, reaching the latest total of over 50 million .

 Implications

1. Humanitarian Aid vs. Political Conflict

• The delivery of over 50 million meals proves there is both high need and high risk.

• Aid is being used not only for relief but also to assert influence and legitimacy, especially by U.S. and Israeli backers.

• The aid effort may undermine neutral humanitarian norms, creating a dangerous precedent where food aid becomes entangled with military and political agendas.

2. Erosion of Trust in Humanitarian Agencies

• Major organizations like the UN and Doctors Without Borders criticize the GHF model as partial and militarized.

• Civilians may become reluctant to approach aid sites, fearing crossfire, which weakens the effectiveness of any humanitarian mission in Gaza.

3. Escalation of Violence and Chaos

• The presence of armed groups, bounty threats, and fatal incidents around distribution hubs show how aid delivery itself becomes a flashpoint for violence.

• If these attacks continue, aid workers and civilians will face increased danger, possibly shutting down the very efforts meant to save lives.

4. Geopolitical Tensions

• With U.S. funding involved and Israel offering ground support, the aid initiative appears to many Palestinians and Arab nations as a political instrument, not a purely humanitarian gesture.

• This could fuel resentment in the region and provoke more active resistance from Hamas and its sympathizers.

5. Public Perception & Media Warfare

• Competing narratives—Breitbart highlighting success, while UN reports condemn the model—indicate a media and diplomatic battle over truth and responsibility.

• This complicates efforts to form a unified international response and could deepen global polarization over the Gaza conflict.

6. Civilian Desperation and System Breakdown

• Reports of looting, gunfights, and warlord-style control over aid show that civil order in Gaza is collapsing.

• This environment makes sustainable recovery nearly impossible unless comprehensive peace and reconstruction efforts follow.

 Overall Takeaway:

While the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s delivery of over 50 million meals represents a significant logistical and humanitarian milestone, it is deeply overshadowed by the volatile environment in which it operates. The initiative, though born out of urgent need, has become a focal point of political tension, ethical debate, and security risk. As violence continues around aid sites and humanitarian neutrality is increasingly questioned, the situation underscores the profound difficulty of delivering life-saving assistance in a war-torn and politically fractured region. Without a shift toward more coordinated, depoliticized, and secure humanitarian access, even the best-intentioned efforts risk becoming catalysts for further instability.

SOURCES: BREITBART – Gaza Humanitarian Foundation Passes 50 Million Meals, Despite Hamas Threats