International aid groups said on Friday that Israel's plans to control aid in Gaza, including a plan supported by the U.S., will make the suffering and deaths worse in the damaged Palestinian area. They asked Israel to stop blocking food and other supplies, which has been happening for three months.

The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, said a new aid system created by the U.S. would start soon. He asked the U.N. and other aid groups to join. However, the U.N. has said no to the new system so far. They said it uses aid as a weapon, could force many Palestinians to leave their homes, goes against the idea of being neutral, and simply cannot provide enough help.

Every day in Gaza, it's a scene of great need. Thousands of Palestinians gathered at a charity kitchen in the southern city of Khan Younis. They pushed and held up their pots to get some pasta. These kitchens are almost the only way for the 2.3 million people in the area to get food. But many have closed recently because food is running out due to Israel's blockade. Aid groups say more will close soon.

Raed al-Zaharna and his children departed without provisions after the day's food supplies were depleted.

Since March 2, Israel has stopped food, medicine, fuel, and other goods from entering Gaza. Israel says this is to make Hamas release hostages and give up weapons. This also ended a ceasefire deal with Hamas, as bombing started again across Gaza and Israel took control of large parts of the area. Human rights groups have called this blockade a way to starve people and a possible war crime.

Israel has stated it will not restart aid until a new way of giving it out is put in place. This new system will take over from the large effort led by the U.N. and independent aid groups during the 19-month war. Israel claims that Hamas and other militant groups are taking aid, but it has not shown proof for these claims. The U.N. says that not much aid is being taken and that it watches how it is given out.

"Humanitarian aid should never be leveraged as a negotiating tool," UNICEF spokesperson James Elder declared in Geneva. "There's a straightforward solution: terminate the blockade, allow humanitarian assistance access, and preserve lives."

Huckabee mentioned that the details of the new system, which is supported by the U.S., would be shared in the next few days. He added that deliveries are planned to start "very soon," but he did not say exactly when.

He portrayed it as separate from Israel, asserting the latter would not participate in distribution. He stated private entities would handle security, with Israel’s military securing the outer boundaries remotely. He reiterated Israel’s assertions that this was vital due to Hamas appropriating aid.

"I will be the first to concede that it will be far from flawless, particularly in the initial stages," Huckabee stated.

According to documents acquired by The Associated Press, a new U.S.-backed organisation, known as the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), composed of American security contractors, former government officials, ex-military officers, and humanitarian officials, has put forward a proposal for an aid distribution initiative aligned with Israel’s requirements.

GHF’s proposal detailed the initial establishment of four distribution centers, safeguarded by private security contractors, with each intended to serve an estimated 300,000 individuals, thus covering approximately half of Gaza's population. Huckabee indicated that this system would be expanded promptly as conditions allow.

Aid workers say Palestinians might have to move to the places where aid is given out or walk far to get there. This could cause people to be forced out of their homes, leaving large parts of Gaza empty. Although the exact locations for these places are not yet decided, aid workers say that from the information they have, it seems none will be in northern Gaza, where many thousands of Palestinians live.

Throughout the conflict, Israel has consistently urged Palestinians to vacate the northern areas, including Gaza City, asserting this is for their protection while troops engage Hamas militants.

According to Elder, the scheme would consolidate forced displacement to serve “political and military ends.” He added that the most vulnerable individuals, such as children, the elderly, and the unwell, might find it impossible to reach the hubs.

Last month, twenty aid groups in Gaza said in a statement that the plan would make Palestinians live in conditions like being held in camps in small areas near the centers.

Aid workers say Israel has also told U.N. officials it wants to check who receives aid. This has led to worries that Israel might stop aid for some people for political or military reasons, even though the GHF plan says aid should be given based on what people need.

Elder additionally cautioned that civilians would be imperiled when attempting to obtain assistance in militarized zones.

“This plan is likely to result in more children enduring suffering and facing an increased risk of mortality and injury,” Elder stated.

Humanitarian workers express concerns that the proposed aid framework will be inadequate.

The operation was led by UNRWA, the main UN agency for Palestinian refugees. Israel stopped the agency from working last year, saying that Hamas members had joined its staff. UNRWA, which has more than 10,000 workers in Gaza, said it quickly removes anyone thought to have links to militants, and that Israel has not shown any proof for its claims.

UNRWA spokesperson Juliette Touma said the agency has the widest reach, and it's very hard to imagine any humanitarian work without UNRWA.

Ruth James, Oxfam's regional humanitarian coordinator, emphasised the need for extensive networks to ensure aid distribution to all, stating this necessitates both time and specialised knowledge. She cautioned that any hastily implemented new system lacking humanitarian expertise and community trust would prove incapable of achieving this objective.

Huckabee urged U.N. agencies and aid organisations to participate in the new mechanism.

Jens Laerke, a spokesperson for the U.N. humanitarian office, stated on Friday that the U.N.'s concerns had not been adequately addressed in numerous discussions with Israeli officials, dismissing assertions that aid theft had been substantial.

The fundamental issue stems from the impediment preventing the daily entry of hundreds of essential aid trucks into the Gaza Strip, which constitutes the primary determinant of the humanitarian crisis.