The U.S. State Department announced Thursday that the Trump administration had approved $30 million in funding for the controversial, opaquely run private food distribution organization known as the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which has been criticized by a United Nations agency as "a death trap" for hungry Palestinians in the war-torn enclave. It is the first U.S. government funding for the GHF confirmed by the Trump administration.
Since it began operating in May, the GHF says it has distributed more than 46 million meals to Gazans, but its record has been marred by almost daily reports of civilians being killed trying to access its four "distribution hubs," News.Az reports citing CBS news.
The Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health said that as of Wednesday, 549 people had been killed near GHF hubs trying to access aid, and more than 4,066 others wounded. The United Nations has reported a lower death toll, saying that 410 people have been killed near the aid hubs.
The GHF dismisses the Ministry of Health's figures as disinformation, and it says daily that nobody has been killed inside any of its hubs, while acknowledging incidents of violence outside the sites and referring to Israel's military for further information.
"We call on other countries to also support the GHF," State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said during a media briefing on Thursday, adding that the U.S. support, "is simply the latest iteration of President Trump's and Secretary Rubio's pursuit of peace in the region."
Pigott said he couldn't say whether the U.S. funds had already been handed over to the GHF.
Asked about the pattern of near-daily reports of fatal shootings by Israeli forces around GHF distribution hubs, which the Israeli military says it is investigating, Pigott referred the reporter to the IDF to comment on its investigations, and added: "Many of these reports are based on Hamas propaganda."
Given his emphasis on the Trump administration's priority being the provision of more aid in Gaza, Pigott was asked repeatedly whether the U.S. would push Israel to allow other, well established humanitarian organizations to operate more freely inside the strip. He responded to that question multiple times by repeating his call for other countries to support the GHF.
After being pushed by multiple reporters on the accusations that the GHF hubs are "traps" for Israeli forces to fire on civilians, Pigott said it was "important to realize that Hamas bears sole responsibility for this conflict."
Other humanitarian organizations, including U.N. agencies, have refused to work with the GHF, saying it operates in a way that dehumanizes Palestinians by forcing them to venture long distances for food, and citing repeated instances of violence around its distribution sites.
"Now is the time for unity and collaboration," the GHF said Friday. "We look forward to other aid and humanitarian organizations joining us so we can feed even more Gazans, together."
CBS News has requested in-person, on-camera interviews with GHF representatives repeatedly since the organization's creation was announced. GHF has yet to grant an interview.
