US-backed Gaza aid group says resumes food distribution

GAZA CITY: The US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Fund said Thursday it had resumed food distribution in the war-torn Palestinian territory, after pausing operations for a day following reports of deadly shootings.

“GHF can confirm that we were open for distribution today,” the group said in an email to AFP, adding it had delivered 1.4 million meals at two sites on Thursday and 8.4 million meals since opening a little over a week ago.

The group shut down its distribution centres on Wednesday for what it called “reorganisation” in an effort to improve its work, after its first week of operations was marred by global criticism.

Reports from Gaza that dozens were killed over the course of three days as they attempted to reach the aid centres drew sharp condemnation from the United Nations.

The UN and major aid organisations have refused to cooperate with the GHF, citing concerns that it was designed to cater to Israeli military objectives.

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Israel’s military has maintained it does not prevent Gazans from collecting aid.

But army spokesperson Effie Defrin said on Tuesday that soldiers had fired towards suspects who “were approaching in a way that endangered” the troops, adding the incident was being investigated.

The GHF, officially a private effort with opaque funding, began operations last week after Israel completely cut off supplies into Gaza for more than two months amid a breakdown in negotiations for a ceasefire with Palestinian group Hamas.

For decades, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA had spearheaded aid distribution in Gaza, with dozens of other organisations participating in efforts to assist the population.