International aid groups said Friday that Israel's plans for giving aid in Gaza, like a plan the U.S. supports, will just make people suffer and die more in the damaged Palestinian area. They asked Israel to stop blocking food and other supplies, which it has done for three months.

The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, said a new U.S. aid plan would start soon. He asked the U.N. and other aid groups to join. However, the U.N. has said no to the new plan so far. They said it uses aid as a weapon, could force many Palestinians to leave their homes, goes against being neutral, and 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, pushing and holding up their pots to get some pasta. These kitchens are almost the only place left for the 2.3 million people in the area to get food. However, many have closed recently because food is running out due to Israel's blockade. Aid groups warn that more kitchens will close soon.

Raed al-Zaharna and his children departed without provisions after the day's food supply was exhausted.

Since March 2, Israel has imposed a comprehensive blockade on the entry of food, medicine, fuel, and other essential provisions into Gaza. This measure, according to Israel, is intended to exert pressure on Hamas to secure the release of hostages and facilitate disarmament. Concurrently, Israel has abrogated a ceasefire agreement with Hamas, resuming extensive bombardment across Gaza and seizing substantial portions of the territory. Human rights organizations have denounced the blockade as a deliberate "starvation tactic" and a potential war crime.

Israel maintains it will not reinstate aid provisions until a novel distribution framework is established, replacing the extensive undertaking previously managed by the U.N. and autonomous relief bodies during the 19-month conflict. Israel alleges that Hamas and other militant factions are diverting aid, although it has not substantiated these accusations. The U.N. refutes claims of substantial misappropriation, affirming its oversight of distribution processes.

"Humanitarian assistance must never be exploited as a negotiating tool," stated UNICEF spokesperson James Elder in Geneva. "The solution is straightforward: End the blockade, permit humanitarian aid to enter, and thereby preserve lives."

Huckabee stated that specifics regarding the new US-supported system would be revealed in the near future, with initial deliveries anticipated to commence shortly, though he provided no specific timetable.

He portrayed it as autonomous from Israel, asserting that the latter would not be involved in its distribution. He stated that private entities would furnish security, while the Israeli military would secure the perimeters remotely. He reiterated Israel's assertion that this measure was imperative due to Hamas's alleged misappropriation of aid.

"I'll be the first to acknowledge that it won't be flawless, particularly in the initial stages," Huckabee stated.

According to documents obtained by The Associated Press, a new group supported by the U.S., called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), has suggested a plan to distribute aid that matches Israel's requirements. This group includes American security contractors, former government and military officials, and people who work in humanitarian aid.

In its plan, GHF stated that it would first create four places to give out supplies, protected by private security companies. Each place would help 300,000 people, which is only about half of the people in Gaza. Huckabee said that the system will be made bigger "as soon as it can be done."

Aid workers say Palestinians would have to move to the distribution centers or walk long distances to get to them. This would cause people to be forced out of their homes, leaving large parts of Gaza empty. Although the locations of the centers are not yet decided, aid workers say that based on information they received, it seems none will be in northern Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians live.

Throughout the conflict, Israel has consistently urged Palestinians to depart the northern areas, including Gaza City, asserting this measure is for their protection during military engagements against Hamas fighters.

Elder contended that the proposal would solidify forced displacement “for political and military ends.” He noted that the most vulnerable, such as children, the elderly, and those afflicted by illness, might struggle to reach the designated centres.

Last month, twenty humanitarian organisations working in Gaza released a statement asserting the plan would effectively confine Palestinians to restricted zones around the distribution centres.

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

Elder also cautioned that civilians would face peril while attempting to obtain assistance in areas under military control.

“A greater number of children are prone to enduring hardship and facing a heightened risk of mortality and injury as a result of this plan,” Elder stated.

Aid officials contend that the new system will simply not furnish sufficient assistance. Relief organizations have managed numerous distribution hubs throughout Gaza, dispensing food, water, shelter provisions, and other commodities, concurrently supporting medical facilities, operating shelters, and executing various other initiatives.

The operation is being spearheaded by UNRWA, the principal U.N. agency dedicated to Palestinian refugees. Israel imposed a ban on the agency last year, alleging that its personnel had been infiltrated by Hamas. UNRWA, which employs over 10,000 individuals in Gaza, asserts that it promptly dismisses anyone suspected of militant affiliations and maintains that Israel has failed to furnish evidence substantiating its allegations.

UNRWA spokesperson Juliette Touma stated that the agency possesses unparalleled reach, making any substantial humanitarian operation virtually inconceivable without its involvement.

Ruth James, who is Oxfam's regional humanitarian coordinator, said that big networks are essential to make sure everyone gets aid. She explained that this needs a lot of time and special skills. She also warned that any new system that starts so quickly without humanitarian knowledge and trust from local people will not be able to do this.

Huckabee urged U.N. agencies and aid organizations to collaborate on the new mechanism.

Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the U.N. humanitarian office, stated on Friday that the United Nations' concerns had not been adequately addressed in several meetings with Israeli officials, and he refuted assertions that aid theft was substantial.

The main problem is that hundreds of aid trucks that are supposed to go into the Gaza Strip every day are blocked. This is the main reason for the humanitarian crisis.