Over 90 US lawmakers demand probe into Gaza Humanitarian Foundation for deadly operations

A group of 92 Democratic members of the US House of Representatives has called on the State Department to investigate the US and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), raising concerns over its funding, operations, and reported role in deadly incidents during aid distribution in Gaza.

In a letter addressed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the lawmakers questioned the foundation's ownership structure, lack of humanitarian experience, and suitability to serve as a primary aid conduit.

The letter, led by Representative Sean Casten, urged greater transparency and oversight to ensure humanitarian assistance reaches civilians safely and in line with international standards.

The lawmakers said they supported efforts to prevent Hamas from accessing aid (although no evidence has emerged suggesting the group was taking it) but warned that the newly established, US-linked foundation was becoming the main channel for assistance without adequate accountability.

"We have serious concerns with the operations of GHF, a newly established, private, US-linked organisation with no prior humanitarian experience, and the possibility that it could become the sole or primary aid provider in Gaza," the lawmakers wrote.

"Providing secure and efficient humanitarian assistance to Palestinians is not only a moral obligation - it is also vital to Israel's long-term security and the safe return of Israeli hostages. Enhancing aid operations is essential to stabilizing the region and achieving lasting peace."

The letter criticised GHF's distribution model, which relies on first-come, first-served food handouts that have drawn large crowds.

Lawmakers said the resulting chaos has already led to the deaths of more than 1,000 Palestinians at aid sites. They noted that Israeli soldiers and American contractors overseeing these sites had applied lethal force with few restrictions.

Citing whistleblower complaints, the lawmakers revealed that experts at USAID raised 58 objections to GHF's operations before the State Department approved a $30 million grant in June. One internal memo reportedly stated that GHF "failed to meet minimum technical standards", but the grant was approved by Jeremy Lewin, a senior State Department official and former staffer at the Office of Government Efficiency.

Lawmakers expressed concern that these objections were ignored, especially given their responsibility for how taxpayer money is spent.

The letter also raised questions about GHF’s funding sources. Lawmakers cited reports that the Israeli government had contributed $280 million to the foundation - a claim GHF has denied - and pointed out that the organisation, registered in Delaware in February 2025, had not published a full list of donors.

The Swiss government has already shut down the foundation's branch in Switzerland.

GHF's operational costs also came under scrutiny. The foundation reportedly runs only four aid distribution sites and relies on two private contractors, Safe Reach Solutions (SRS) and UJ Solutions (UGS), for logistics and security.

Lawmakers noted that neither company nor GHF's CEO Johnny Moore, a close ally of Donald Trump, has prior humanitarian experience. They said the foundation operates at low capacity and unusually high cost compared to established aid organisations.

Lawmakers also referenced the resignation of GHF's founding executive director, former US Marine Jake Wood, who reportedly stepped down over the foundation's failure to uphold humanitarian principles.

They said the growing violence around GHF's distribution sites, where long waits and overcrowding have forced desperate Palestinians to choose between risking their lives or going without food, highlighted the dangers of abandoning standard humanitarian protocols.

The criticism of GHF comes amid broader alarm over the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza.

On Tuesday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that "a trickle of aid into the Gaza Strip must become an ocean".

He called for food, water, medicine, and fuel to flow "in waves and without obstruction", and said the situation in Gaza was "a humanitarian catastrophe of epic proportions."

Guterres added: "This is not a warning. It is a reality unfolding before our eyes."

In their letter, the US lawmakers demanded answers to a series of questions from the State Department by 14 August, including an explanation of how funds were disbursed, what monitoring mechanisms are in place, why expert objections were overridden, and whether GHF and its contractors comply with US and international humanitarian law. 

They also called for the release of all funding sources and contracts related to the foundation.