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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| GHF says it is launching new reserve system to help families with food collection |
| 2025-08-19 |
| [IsraelTimes] The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation announces that it is launching a new system to enable families to reserve a box of aid in advance, in an effort to reduce the scenes of utter chaos at its distribution sites. To date, aid has been distributed on a first-come-first serve basis, benefiting younger, healthier males who are able to weather the long, dangerous trek through IDF lines to reach GHF distribution sites. GHF has tried to alleviate the inequity by establishing women’s-only distribution times, but more vulnerable populations continued to be neglected. Under the new system, GHF’s local Palestinian staff will invite beneficiaries to participate. Those who opt in will have their photo taken and receive an ID card with a unique number on it. Beneficiaries will have the option of also creating an online profile where they can input information such as household size. Participants will then have their box of food set aside for them, eliminating the need to partake in the daily rush for aid. All data will be securely stored and never shared, GHF stresses, in an attempt to alleviate concerns that their information will be shared with Israeli authorities with whom the aid organization closely coordinates. The new initiative is voluntary and will operate in parallel to the existing first-come-first-served system, GHF says. The new system will also enable GHF to directly communicate with participants regarding distribution times and other relevant updates, the US- and Israeli-backed organization says. GHF says it launched a pilot of the initiative on Sunday with 350 participants at one of its Rafah distribution centers and is planning to scale it up in the coming weeks. The initiative appears to be the start of a registration process for GHF recipients, something that experts have long argued is essential. While GHF has touted being able to distribute aid that does not reach Hamas, the free-for-all, chaotic scenes at distribution sites have seen boxes snatched within minutes, with no way to determine who has been benefiting from the aid. “It has always been our plan to offer a way for families to reserve aid in advance and guarantee access, just as other aid organizations do,” says GHF executive director John Acree. “Until now, however, conditions on the ground have made implementation of such a program impossible. But with more aid flowing into Gaza and GHF’s deliveries helping stabilize food availability, conditions are improving.” Still, GHF is only able to serve a small fraction of Gaza’s population of roughly two million, as it is currently only operating three sites in the entire Strip. Israeli and US officials have indicated that they plan to scale up GHF’s operations, but aid from other international organizations amounts to the bulk of assistance feeding Gazans. Related: Gaza Humanitarian Foundation: 2025-08-18 Still trying to undermine the Netanyahu gov’t: Former Biden officials say Netanyahu asked US to set up floating Gaza aid pier last year Gaza Humanitarian Foundation: 2025-08-17 I’m a war scholar. There is no genocide in Gaza: John Spencer Gaza Humanitarian Foundation: 2025-08-16 UN says at least 1,760 killed while seeking aid in Gaza since late May as aid continues to enter |
| Posted by:trailing wife |