US-Backed Gaza Aid Initiative Sparks UN Criticism Amid Blockade

The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza has drawn sharp international attention, with Iran's top security official criticizing Western unilateralism for fueling conflicts and suffering in West Asia, particularly highlighting the dire situation in Gaza as a humanitarian catastrophe. The United States has defended a new US-Israeli-backed aid initiative, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which has faced heavy criticism from the United Nations and other humanitarian organizations for its methods and alleged partiality, with the US labeling such criticisms as hypocritical. The UN's agency for Palestinian refugees condemned Israel's aid distribution model in Gaza as wasteful and a distraction from the ongoing atrocities, pointing to chaotic scenes at aid sites and concerns over impartiality. Despite the criticism, US officials emphasize that the primary concern is the delivery of aid to Gaza amid a complex security environment, asserting that aid is moving at a significant scale despite challenges. Meanwhile, confusion arose when a US State Department spokesperson appeared unaware of the blockade's impact on aid delivery until recently, underscoring the complexity and sensitivity of the situation. The debate underscores deep divisions over how humanitarian aid is provided and controlled in Gaza amid ongoing conflict and blockade conditions.