GENEVA, May 10, 2025 (WAFA) — The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has strongly criticized new plans proposed by Israel and the United States to oversee the distribution of humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip, warning that such arrangements would worsen the dire situation for children and families.

In a statement on Saturday, UNICEF spokesperson James Elder said the proposed plan by Israel, presented to the humanitarian community, "appears likely to exacerbate the ongoing suffering of children and families in Gaza."

Elder noted that his criticism also extends to a new coordinating body believed to be part of the same broader plan, which relief organizations fear could compromise the independence and neutrality of aid efforts.

Humanitarian groups have consistently rejected any arrangements that would place the occupying power, Israel, in a position of control over aid distribution in Gaza, citing concerns over manipulation and obstruction of humanitarian access.

Elder warned that "using humanitarian aid as bait to coerce displacement—especially from northern to southern Gaza—forces families into an impossible choice: displacement or death."

“There is a simple alternative,” he added. “Lift the blockade and allow unrestricted access for humanitarian aid to save lives.”

M.N