Gaza humanitarian group is a 'distraction' from what is needed, UN says

By Emma Farge

GENEVA (Reuters) - The work of a U.S.-backed private humanitarian organization tasked with distributing aid in Gaza is a distraction from what is needed, such as the opening of crossing points, a U.N. spokesperson said on Tuesday.

The GHF, which began as an Israeli-initiated plan and has drawn criticism from the United Nations and others, said on Monday it began distributing supplies in Gaza.

This follows an Israeli blockade for 11 weeks that was only partially lifted in recent days and that prompted a famine warning from a global hunger monitor and international criticism.

"We do not participate in this modality for the reasons given. It is a distraction from what is actually needed (...)," Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the U.N. humanitarian office (OCHA) told a Geneva briefing, calling for the reopening of all crossings.

He also called for an end to Israeli restrictions on the type of aid being allowed to enter the enclave, which he said was being "cherry picked" and did not always match needs.

Israel is in charge of vetting all aid entering Gaza and regularly rejects a wide array of items it considers could be put to military use by militant group Hamas.

It says the new system is aimed at separating aid from Hamas, which it accuses of stealing and using food to impose control over the population, a charge rejected by Hamas, which says it protects aid convoys from gangs of armed looters.

Juliette Touma, communications director of the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency, said that it had large medical shipments waiting that have been denied entry into Gaza.

"We have over 3000 trucks, not only of food, but also medicines that are lining up in places like Jordan, like Egypt, that are waiting for the green light to go in, and they're carrying medicines and that is expiring soon," she said.

(Reporting by Emma Farge, editing by Thomas Seythal and Sharon Singleton)