U.S. Plan to Deliver Aid to Gaza Faces Pushback from Aid Organizations

At a food distribution site in Beit Lahiya, the northern region of the Gaza Strip, Palestinians queued up for food donations on March 16, 2025.

TEL AVIV, Israel — Just before President Trump's scheduled visit to Gulf states, the U.S., alongside Israel, unveiled a strategy to reintroduce food and vital supplies into Gaza. This step comes after a 10-week blockade by Israel that aid workers claim has escalated hunger dramatically within the enclave.

This shift arises partly due to U.S. diplomatic pressure on Israel, an insider revealed without revealing their identity due to the sensitive nature of the discussions.

Even though this initiative aims to reach only about 60% of Gaza's civilian population initially, it leaves several critical aspects unresolved, such as the operational leadership and funding sources.

This proposal marks a pivot from Israel’s earlier strategy that halted aid to compel Hamas into releasing hostages. The U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, indicated Israel's support for the revised approach.

"Humanitarian aid to Gaza emerges as a top priority set by President Trump," stated Huckabee at a press briefing. "He has instructed his team to expedite processes to ensure swift aid delivery to those in need."

In Jabaliya, within the Gaza Strip, Palestinians walked by a closed United Nations aid facility on April 29, 2025.

Gaza inhabitants would need to relocate southwards to receive aid in a designated zone that will be off-limits to Hamas, specified an Israeli defense representative, according to anonymous sources.

The 14-page plan, viewed by NPR, outlines the formation of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation—a newly established Swiss charity. They aim to set up four sites for distributing pre-packed food, hygiene parcels, and medical supplies.

On Sunday, Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar endorsed the U.S.-endorsed plan, urging nations and aid bodies to collaborate.

"This system will ensure aid reaches the deserving individuals, keeping it out of Hamas’s grasp," Saar commented, as Israeli forces focus on securing thoroughfares rather than distributing aid.

Countering Israel's claims about aid diversion, U.N. representatives insist on strict monitoring procedures to ensure aid reaches its intended recipients without interference.

Before implementing this plan, Israel plans to wait for President Trump's Gulf tour to conclude, hoping a ceasefire possibly emerges alongside a hostage accord with Hamas.

If these negotiations fall through, Israel plans to enact the proposed aid program along with advancing military operations and further territorial acquirements in Gaza.

UNRWA continued to offer assistance to Palestinian families in Jabaliya, as seen in the distribution carried out on April 9, 2025.

The initial phase of aid is projected to benefit 1.2 million Palestinians across the four planned distribution locations, leaving a substantial portion unserved. Huckabee indicated possibilities for scaling up services.

Primary humanitarian actors in Gaza are non-compliant with the new proposal owing to its selective aid distribution policy, which contradicts core humanitarian doctrines.

"This undermines fundamental humanitarian norms," state U.N. representatives alongside their partners, condemning any approach inconsistent with humanitarian standards of impartiality and neutrality.

While details on the oversight and funding of the program remain pending, collaboration discussions continue, recognition is extended to anonymous contributors.

Established aid systems helmed by the U.N. could be bypassed in favor of a condensed network of distribution points, potentially straining resources and complicating fair allocation.

Experts highlight concerns over coercion from north to south Gaza, with possible long-term relocation from Gaza as part of broader military strategies.

"Efficient aid delivery is essential; yet how aid is dispensed holds equivalent importance," expressed Paul Spiegel from Johns Hopkins University, cautioning about the program's red flags.