Lawsuit demands Trump administration reveal Gaza Humanitarian Foundation funding

The New York-based Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) said on Wednesday that it filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for its failure to comply with a Freedom of Information Act (Foia) request demanding the financial records of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). 

"Today's lawsuit seeks records that could shed light on not only the decision-making process... but also on the creation of GHF, its funding and how it plans to use" a US government grant, CCR said.

"The Center for Constitutional Rights is particularly interested in information that could reveal whether the administration's distribution of funds has any link to President Trump's 'Gaza Riviera' plan, which would cleanse the area of Palestinians and redevelop it for investors," the statement said.

Since GHF began its food parcel distribution operations in southern Gaza in May, its funding sources have been shrouded in mystery. The scandal-plagued aid scheme saw its first CEO resign because of human rights concerns, before over 1,000 Palestinians were killed by Israeli soldiers at its now four locations in the enclave. 

US military contractors who staff the GHF have also been seen in videos shooting at aid seekers - something former US special forces soldier Anthony Aguilar confirmed after leaving the organisation. 

"Operating in close coordination with the Israeli government and US for-profit private military contractors, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) sites have become synonymous with scenes of chaos and carnage," CCR said in a statement announcing its lawsuit.

"GHF, far from alleviating suffering in Gaza, is contributing to the forced displacement, killing and furtherance of genocide of Palestinians."

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The US State Department had earlier this summer approved $30m in funding for the GHF, despite insisting for weeks that it was an independent entity. The agency exempted it from the audit usually required for new aid grantees, and also overrode vetting mechanisms, including 58 internal objections to GHF's funding application.

Reporters were told at a briefing last week that "roughly half" of the $30m amount had already been delivered. 

But where GHF drew its initial tens of millions of dollars, to pay the salaries and the travel expenses of what critics have described as "mercenaries", remains unknown. 

Chapin Fay, a new GHF spokesperson, told the UK's Channel 4 last week that western European nations have invested in GHF, but that he would not reveal which ones. 

CCR said it was also demanding an investigation into the legality of GHF's charter in the US state of Delaware, where the organisation is registered as a charitable nonprofit.

CCR called on Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings to "investigate GHF and sue to revoke its charter on grounds that it is illegally abusing its privileges with its complicity in war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide".