Gaza Humanitarian Foundation to reopen one aid distribution centre

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) said it plans to reopen one of its aid distribution centres in the Gaza Strip on Sunday.

The centres were closed on Saturday because it said the Palestinian Islamist militia Hamas was threatening it.

One of the centres in Rafah, in southern Gaza, would reopen at noon on Sunday (0900 GMT), the GHF said in a statement on its Arabic-language Facebook page.

At the same time, residents were told not to approach the centre before opening hours. Otherwise, the GHF may not be able to distribute food packages, it said.

The GHF also closed its distribution centres on Friday for safety reasons and urged residents to stay away from the facilities.

Around two weeks ago, Israel eased its blockade of aid deliveries to Gaza. The distribution of aid was taken over by the GHF, bypassing UN aid organizations and other initiatives.

The organization has faced criticism for bypassing established aid networks, as well as for allegedly endangering civilians and breaching widely accepted standards of impartial humanitarian assistance.

Last week, the UN said increasing numbers of Palestinians were “vulnerable to starvation,” with daily energy intake well below what a human body needs to survive.

Israel has been fighting Hamas in the Gaza Strip since the militia and its allies launched an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and abducting 250.

The subsequent war has killed more than 54,000 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-controlled health ministry. The figures do not distinguish between civilian and military deaths.