UN slams Israeli-backed Gaza aid plan as ‘cynical sideshow,’ warns it endangers thousands

The UN humanitarian office on Friday sharply criticized a proposed Israeli-backed aid delivery mechanism for Gaza, warning it would deepen suffering and set a dangerous global precedent by making humanitarian access conditional on political and military objectives, Anadolu reports.

Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told a UN press briefing in Geneva that the UN has held 14 meetings with Israeli counterparts on the proposed scheme, which he said would “exclude many, including people with disabilities, women, children, the elderly and the wounded.”

“It forces further displacement. It exposes thousands—thousands of people to harm. It sets an unacceptable precedent for aid delivery, not just in the occupied Palestinian territory, but around the world,” Laerke told reporters in Geneva.

The proposal has stirred controversy amid reports of the involvement of the little-known Geneva-based Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Laerke said the elements presented by the foundation mirrored those shared by Israeli authorities during official briefings.

While he could not confirm direct UN contact with the foundation, Laerke emphasized that OCHA’s response targets the substance of the proposed mechanism, regardless of the messenger.

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“The plan restricts aid to only part of Gaza, while leaving other dire needs unmet. It makes aid conditional on political and military aims. It makes starvation a bargaining chip,” Laerke said, adding that this “Plan B” is “a cynical sideshow in this moment of acute urgency for the people of Gaza.”

He underscored that the UN has a functioning and proven aid system in place — one that has already delivered assistance throughout the conflict and is backed by donor-funded supplies. “The solution is right there,” he said, referring to the UN’s aid delivery plan. “Precious, life-saving time is wasted with a flawed Plan B.”

Responding to Israeli claims that aid is being diverted to Hamas, Laerke pointed to the nature of the humanitarian items awaiting entry. “Let’s just have a look at what kind of aid they’re so concerned about getting into the wrong hands,” he said.

He listed items such as educational supplies, children’s shoes and toys, rice, wheat flour, tents, water tanks, breastfeeding kits, and hygiene products. “This is what’s being blocked,” he stated.

Laerke’s remarks come as humanitarian conditions in Gaza continue to deteriorate, with international agencies warning of looming famine and catastrophic health risks amid ongoing hostilities and total aid blockade since March 2.

The Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 53,000 Palestinians so far, most of them women and children.

READ: 90% of Gaza’s population forcibly displaced by Israel: UN