How to feed Gaza without feeding Hamas| Opinion
If the definition of insanity is repeating the same process and expecting different results, then a new intervention may finally bring some sanity to one of the world’s most intractable problems.
Since the beginning of Israel’s operation to root out Hamas following the Oct. 7, 2023 terrorist attacks, international aid intended for the people of Gaza has been routinely stolen by Hamas, hoarded in warehouses and sold back to everyday Palestinians.
As the Palestinian National Authority, the government body that exercises partial civil control over the Palestinian enclaves in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, has noted that aid transferred into Gaza has been subjected to “looting and theft carried out by criminal gangs targeting warehouses and storage facilities of humanitarian aid designated for the people of Gaza.”
It held Hamas-affiliated gangs primarily responsible. This theft has led to food scarcity, price gouging and the strengthening of Hamas. A new solution is urgently needed — one that bypasses a corrupt, broken system.
Enter the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a new American-backed organization, founded in Delaware in February, that launched operations in May with the goal of getting aid directly to those who need it.
The GHF circumvents the failed mechanisms that have long allowed aid to be intercepted by Hamas, who then resell it to ordinary Gazans and use the proceeds to fund war. The foundation has already launched three distribution sites in southern and central Gaza, with plans to expand to the north.
Establishing the foundation’s operations on the ground has not been without controversy. Hamas health authorities claim that 61 people were killed and hundreds wounded in incidents since the GHF began its work — figures that remain unverified. The Israel Defense Force contends that Hamas is inflating those numbers.
On June 5, the GHF paused operations to address safety concerns and prevent further violence. Yet in just nine days, the foundation had managed to distribute more than seven million meals and significantly loosened Hamas’ stranglehold on civic life in Gaza..
As a Miami rabbi who wants nothing more than to see peace... I am genuinely hopeful that if the GHF can be successful, it can finally ensure that aid gets into Gaza while sidelining Hamas... That process begins with supporting the GHF instead of declaring it a failure.
You might expect the United Nations to support this breakthrough. Instead, it has responded with predictable obstinance. After acting UN Ambassador Dorothy Shea explained that the foundation provides a secure and accountable model for aid delivery, UN aid chief Tom Fletcher dismissed the initiative outright. His statement, asserting that the UN is the only entity capable of safely managing aid distribution, reveals a deeper issue: The UN continues to ignore overwhelming evidence of aid theft under its own system.
I believe the UN fears that GHF’s success will challenge its monopoly over aid delivery. The UN remains committed to an ineffective model while the people of Gaza continue to suffer.
The GHF represents a realistic and urgently needed solution to a humanitarian crisis long ignored by the international community. It’s time to abandon failed models and support a new direction — one where aid reaches those who need it most, untouched by the hands of Hamas or any group that profits from human misery.
As Americans mourn the recent terrorist attack in Colorado — yet another act of violence against Jews under the banner of the Palestinian cause — the urgency of removing Hamas’ grip on Gaza becomes even more apparent. The sooner Hamas is dismantled, the sooner the war can end.
The question is simple: Will the world continue enabling a corrupt system that empowers Hamas and prolongs conflict, or will we finally prioritize the lives of innocent civilians over the politics of institutions like the UN?
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is a lifeline. It deserves the support of every leader who claims to care about peace, security and human dignity.
Rabbi Jeremy Barras is the senior rabbi at Temple Beth Am in Miami. He also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Central Conference of American Rabbis.
This story was originally published June 10, 2025 at 1:46 PM.