Some thoughts on potential threats to Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid distribution sites in Gaza: The GHF faces evolving threats as it continues distributing aid to Palestinian civilians. In light of recent explicit threats from Hamas and public warnings issued by GHF, there is a growing risk of violence targeting aid sites and the personnel operating them. Hamas remains the most immediate and likely threat. As a military force in Gaza, Hamas perceives GHF’s independent aid mechanism as a direct challenge to its authority and control over the population. By bypassing traditional Hamas-influenced distribution networks, such as UNRWA, GHF undermines a critical lever of power. This circumvention not only threatens Hamas’ influence but also its ability to extract resources or dictate the terms of humanitarian access. Hamas’ past behavior suggests it is capable of using both overt intimidation (e.g., threats against civilians visiting GHF sites) and covert or overt kinetic attacks to assert dominance and deter alternative aid efforts. Recall that in 2018 Hamas had success using unconventional warfare tactics such as launching incendiary-laden balloons to burn crops in southern Israel. Hamas and its allies also routinely sabotaged Gaza border infrastructure. Unconventional warfare could be used again against GHF sites. The threat, however, is not limited to Hamas alone. Gaza also hosts Salafi-jihadist factions aligned with global jihadist movements such as al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. These groups may view GHF as a symbol of Western or Israeli encroachment and a soft target that offers propaganda value. Salafi-jihadist actors are ideologically motivated and may target GHF regardless of what Hamas may or may not do. Consequently, the threat environment around GHF aid sites is cumulative. As GHF continues to operate and gain legitimacy among Gaza’s civilian population, the likelihood of deliberate disruption by terrorist actors increases. Each successful day of food distribution represents a political and psychological loss for Hamas and other anti-Western factions.
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