• News
    • Latest news
    • News search
    • Health
    • Finance
    • Food
    • Career news
    • Content series
    • Try Devex Pro
  • Jobs
    • Job search
    • Post a job
    • Employer search
    • CV Writing
    • Upcoming career events
    • Try Career Account
  • Funding
    • Funding search
    • Funding news
  • Talent
    • Candidate search
    • Devex Talent Solutions
  • Events
    • Upcoming and past events
    • Partner on an event
  • Post a job
  • About
      • About us
      • Membership
      • Newsletters
      • Advertising partnerships
      • Devex Talent Solutions
      • Contact us
Join DevexSign in
Join DevexSign in

News

  • Latest news
  • News search
  • Health
  • Finance
  • Food
  • Career news
  • Content series
  • Try Devex Pro

Jobs

  • Job search
  • Post a job
  • Employer search
  • CV Writing
  • Upcoming career events
  • Try Career Account

Funding

  • Funding search
  • Funding news

Talent

  • Candidate search
  • Devex Talent Solutions

Events

  • Upcoming and past events
  • Partner on an event
Post a job

About

  • About us
  • Membership
  • Newsletters
  • Advertising partnerships
  • Devex Talent Solutions
  • Contact us
  • My Devex
  • Update my profile % complete
  • Account & privacy settings
  • My saved jobs
  • Manage newsletters
  • Support
  • Sign out
Latest newsNews searchHealthFinanceFoodCareer newsContent seriesTry Devex Pro
    • Opinion
    • Humanitarian

    Opinion: Why we don’t mix humanitarian aid with military operations

    Staffed by armed contractors instead of experienced humanitarians, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s militarized aid model has rightly been condemned by the U.N., Oxfam, and others for violating core humanitarian principles.

    By Alexander Smith // 04 June 2025

    Blurring the lines between humanitarian aid and military operations, as is currently happening in Gaza, is not only illegal and unethical — it is also deeply ineffective, harmful, and puts civilians and aid workers at greater risk.

    As someone who has worked in global health and humanitarian aid for over 20 years — including in conflict-affected regions and alongside military forces — I’ve seen the critical difference between aid delivered by humanitarian principles and aid used for military aims. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s aid distribution operation is a tragic illustration of the harmful outcomes of mixing humanitarian and military operations.

    The U.S.- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation was established only months ago as a militarized, opaque, and ethically compromised aid system. From the outset, it was clear for many of us in the humanitarian sector that this model would undermine humanitarian principles, force mass displacement, and endanger civilians — forcing those still able to walk to travel miles through Gaza’s ruins to fenced-in distribution sites, all south of Gaza City.

    This article is free to read - just register or sign in

    Access news, newsletters, events and more.

    Join usSign in

    More reading:

    ► Gaza aid plan under fire as NGOs deny involvement

    ► Famine stalks Gaza as Israel blocks aid at the border

    ► Opinion: As seen in Gaza, aid delivery without trust is not possible

    • Funding
    • Humanitarian Aid
    • Private Sector
    • Trade & Policy
    • Democracy, Human Rights & Governance
    • Gaza, West Bank
    Printing articles to share with others is a breach of our terms and conditions and copyright policy. Please use the sharing options on the left side of the article. Devex Pro members may share up to 10 articles per month using the Pro share tool ( ).
    The views in this opinion piece do not necessarily reflect Devex's editorial views.

    About the author

    • Alexander Smith

      Alexander Smith

      Alexander Smith is a lawyer and former USAID senior adviser with over 20 years of experience in global health, human rights, and international law. He has advised United Nations agencies, the International Criminal Court, and other international tribunals on issues of global health, starvation and deprivation, legal accountability, and human rights in conflict and crisis settings.

    Search for articles

    Related Stories

    HumanitarianGaza aid plan under fire as NGOs deny involvement

    Gaza aid plan under fire as NGOs deny involvement

    HumanitarianTrump administration pushes controversial Gaza relief plan on UN

    Trump administration pushes controversial Gaza relief plan on UN

    HumanitarianNGOs say that new Gaza aid model is undermining lifesaving work

    NGOs say that new Gaza aid model is undermining lifesaving work

    Devex NewswireDevex Newswire: New Gaza aid group's controversial plan sparks NGO denials

    Devex Newswire: New Gaza aid group's controversial plan sparks NGO denials

    Most Read

    • 1
      The power of diagnostics to improve mental health
    • 2
      Lasting nutrition and food security needs new funding — and new systems
    • 3
      Opinion: Urgent action is needed to close the mobile gender gap
    • 4
      Supporting community-driven solutions to address breast cancer
    • 5
      How to use law to strengthen public health advocacy
    • News
    • Jobs
    • Funding
    • Talent
    • Events

    Devex is the media platform for the global development community.

    A social enterprise, we connect and inform over 1.3 million development, health, humanitarian, and sustainability professionals through news, business intelligence, and funding & career opportunities so you can do more good for more people. We invite you to join us.

    • About us
    • Membership
    • Newsletters
    • Advertising partnerships
    • Devex Talent Solutions
    • Post a job
    • Careers at Devex
    • Contact us
    © Copyright 2000 - 2025 Devex|User Agreement|Privacy Statement