The U.S.-supported Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) is facing renewed criticism from non-governmental organizations, coming after sustained scrutiny from the United Nations. This continues even as the GHF marked a milestone on Saturday, having provided its 155 millionth meal to residents of Gaza.
Doctors Without Borders, also known by its French acronym MSF, has initiated an advertising campaign against GHF. According to Meta’s Ad Library, MSF placed multiple Facebook advertisements targeting the foundation in August. One advertisement stated, “This is not aid. This is orchestrated killing.” Another declared, “In MSF’s 54 years, rarely have we seen such levels of systemized violence.”
These claims originate from an August 6 article on MSF’s official website, where General Director Raquel Ayora detailed reports from patients who were allegedly injured near GHF locations. Ayora stated that individuals seeking aid reported seeing “children shot in the chest while reaching for food. People crushed or suffocated in stampedes. Entire crowds gunned down at distribution points.”
Chapin Fay, a spokesperson for GHF, dismissed MSF’s accusations as “false and disgraceful,” asserting that MSF is “amplifying a disinformation campaign orchestrated by the Hamas-linked Gaza Health Ministry. They know better. By repeating these lies, they’re not aiding civilians, they’re aiding Hamas.”
Fay informed Digital that “No civilians have ever been shot at any of our distribution sites.”
Fay stated that “Nearly every day, Nasser Hospital issues false reports to the media of civilians killed near our sites, based solely on testimony from others. Not a single MSF doctor has ever witnessed an incident near our sites. Any conflict between Israel and Hamas, sometimes several kilometers away, the Gaza Health Ministry falsely links to GHF.”
When asked if MSF personnel had directly observed injuries or fatalities at GHF locations, a spokesperson informed Digital that “MSF has documented the impacts of violence and chaos at GHF sites in Gaza, based on firsthand accounts of our personnel and patients at two clinical sites, as well as a body of medical data.”
MSF chose not to answer inquiries regarding the amount of money expended on advertisements targeting GHF, or whether it has championed medical care for .
The MSF spokesperson further commented, “For the past 22 months, humanitarian organizations working in Gaza and the West Bank have consistently faced baseless and inaccurate smear campaigns.”
Despite increasing concerns regarding alleged violence near , United Nations reports reveal that between July 21 and August 18, deaths associated with humanitarian aid convoys (576) were double those recorded near GHF sites (259).
An August update from the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs documented 1,889 deaths near aid locations between May 27 and August 18, with 1,025 occurring “near militarized distribution sites” and 864 “along convoy supply routes.” By July 21, U.N. News had reported 1,054 deaths at food distribution sites, comprising 766 near GHF sites and 288 near U.N. and other humanitarian aid convoys.
The U.N. Human Rights Office had not responded to a request for confirmation of these statistics by the time of publication.
Despite existing tensions between GHF and humanitarian aid organizations, Fay stated that GHF extended support to MSF in early August, following MSF’s request for assistance to “safeguard their medical aid from the elements.” An August 7 post by GHF on X displayed what it claimed were pallets of MSF aid under GHF’s protection. Digital’s inquiry to MSF to confirm whether they had sought GHF’s help with their provisions went unanswered.
According to Fay, GHF personnel, upon being transported to Nasser Hospital after a , did not receive medical attention from MSF staff.
A written statement from a GHF employee, shared with Digital, detailed how injured workers were transported to Nasser Hospital, where physicians allegedly declined to treat them. The witness recounted that survivors were left in a courtyard, where hospital personnel reportedly encouraged others to assault them. One GHF employee was said to have been stabbed.
“Three more GHF staff died due to their lack of treatment by Nasser Hospital. MSF doctors work there, yet claim they weren’t aware of the situation,” Fay commented.
An August 25 report issued by MSF after the Israeli bombing of Nasser Hospital indicated that the organization “has been operational in Nasser since before the conflict escalated in October 2023, providing trauma and burn care, physiotherapy, neonatal and pediatric services, and treatment for malnourished children, among other critical services.”
The Foundation for Defense of Democracies has repeatedly reported since October 2023 that Hamas militants have been operating from Nasser Hospital. On August 26, Joe Truzman, a senior research analyst at FDD, posted images on X of two Hamas summonses that allegedly instructed individuals to report to Nasser Hospital for interrogation.
MSF did not address inquiries concerning GHF employees not receiving treatment or whether its personnel at Nasser Hospital were cognizant of .
In an online statement regarding the occurrence, MSF declared it “has seen no credible evidence that healthcare was refused by Ministry of Health or other medical staff.” The organization also stated, “MSF staff have not been present in the emergency department of Nasser Hospital since 2024.”
On Saturday, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation revealed a new program, in collaboration with Samaritan’s Purse, aimed at delivering medical assistance to Gazans.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation stated on X that, beyond addressing wounds, injuries, and infections, it was also providing support to pregnant women.