Three progressive Democratic senators are demanding information from the U.S. State Department on its funding for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) wrote earlier this week to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and U.S. Agency for International Development acting administrator Russell Vought about the Trump administration’s $30 million award to the foundation, which established itself as a centralized alternative aid delivery mechanism to the United Nations.
The foundation, which the United Nations criticizes and says is an inadequate replacement for the global body’s efforts, says that it has delivered more than 150 million meals and that it skirts Hamas looting.
Critics say that civilians are massacred near foundation distribution sites. The foundation and the Israeli military deny those accusations.
The senators wrote that “starving civilians should not be shot at while desperately trying to reach food supplies.”
“GHF’s apparent coordination with the IDF contradicts humanitarian organizations’ longstanding adherence to principles of neutrality, independence, impartiality and humanity,” they wrote.
The senators said the foundation’s funding should terminate, and unused funds should transfer to “experienced aid organizations, given the strong and growing evidence that GHF is failing to accomplish its humanitarian mission.”
The senators asked for a copy of the award and vetting documents to GHF and for more information on the relationship between the foundation and the Israeli military.
