From 4 to 16: Details of a U.S. Plan to Expand Aid Centers in Gaza

7th August 2025

3 minutes read

From 4 to 16: Details of a U.S. Plan to Expand Aid Centers in Gaza

As the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip reaches its peak, the United States announces a planned expansion of a controversial aid initiative.

In an interview with Fox News, Mike Huckabee, U.S. ambassador to Israel, stated that an American-supported aid initiative in Gaza would soon undergo significant expansion.

The initiative, known as the “Gaza Humanitarian Foundation”, currently operates four aid distribution sites, mostly located in southern Gaza. Huckabee indicated that this number may quadruple.

Responding to questions about whether the U.S. intends to increase its role in Gaza aid distribution, Huckabee said: “The immediate plan is to expand the number of sites to 16 and begin operating them around the clock.”

The New York Times attempted to reach the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation for comment regarding the 24/7 operation of the 16 planned sites, but the organization did not respond immediately.

Last week, Huckabee, accompanied by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, visited one of the aid distribution centers in southern Gaza.

His comments come at a time when relief organizations report that Gaza is suffering from a severe hunger crisis, with the World Food Programme (WFP) noting that a third of the population goes days without eating.

The United Nations has criticized the foundation’s methods, saying they conflict with established principles of international humanitarian law. It also describes the number of aid sites as insufficient.

Since the foundation began its food distributions in war-torn Gaza in late May, hundreds of Palestinians have reportedly been killed near these sites, according to local officials and medical personnel.

The Israeli military, which is stationed near these distribution centers, claimed its forces had fired “warning shots” at desperate crowds and was investigating the incidents.

Last month, dozens of Palestinians were killed or injured when WFP trucks entered northern Gaza, according to local officials and healthcare workers.

In June, the U.S. State Department approved $30 million in funding for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

A few days ago, former President Donald Trump said he expected more aid distribution sites to be established “very soon,” although he did not clarify the specific role the U.S. might play in ensuring aid reaches Gaza’s nearly two million residents.

Back in March, Israel imposed an approximately 80-day blockade on supplies entering Gaza, stating it aimed to pressure Hamas in ceasefire negotiations and prevent the group from seizing aid.

Israeli leaders have repeatedly accused Hamas of systematically looting humanitarian aid—allegations the group denies.

The blockade, which led to acute shortages of food and basic supplies, drew widespread condemnation from the international community and worsened the dire conditions in Gaza.

Both Israel and the U.S. argue that the new distribution model used by the Gaza Foundation ensures that food reaches Palestinians directly and excludes Hamas from the process.

Huckabee reiterated this position during his interview: “The President has always told us he wants food to reach the hungry, but in a way that keeps it out of Hamas’s hands.”