Geneva – SABA:
The international banks UBS and Goldman Sachs have refused to open banking accounts for the so-called “Gaza Humanitarian Foundation” — an entity backed by the United States and the Israeli occupation, and linked to deadly incidents involving hundreds of Palestinians attempting to receive aid in the besieged Gaza Strip.
According to Reuters on Friday, citing two informed sources, the financial institutions declined to engage with the organization due to a lack of transparency about its funding sources, as well as political pressure surrounding the failed attempts to open accounts in Switzerland.
One of the sources stated that talks between the foundation and both UBS and Goldman Sachs faced major hurdles, primarily due to financial ambiguity and insufficient documentation, which ultimately led both banks to reject cooperation despite direct U.S. and Israeli pressure.
The foundation had sought to establish a branch in Geneva, but its efforts faltered due to financial shortfalls, low donations, and the resignation of its CEO, Jake Wood, last May, along with the departure of several founding members—further complicating its integration into the European financial system.
The “Gaza Humanitarian Foundation” is widely viewed as a political project jointly led by the U.S. and the occupying entity, aiming to control humanitarian aid flows into Gaza, bypassing both international and local institutions.
The foundation has drawn widespread criticism from UN and humanitarian organizations, which accuse it of using aid as a tool for political coercion and soft ethnic cleansing.
In this context, the UNRWA confirmed that distribution points run by the foundation have turned into death traps for Palestinians, due to repeated targeting by the Israeli army.
In its latest briefing, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights reported that at least 613 Palestinians have been killed around the foundation’s aid distribution sites, including at least 509 directly at its managed locations.
Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani stated that these figures were verified as of June 27, noting that additional incidents remain under investigation. The data was collected from various sources, including hospitals, cemeteries, Palestinian families, local institutions, and international partners.
Since launching its activities in late May, the foundation has led food and medical aid distributions across parts of Gaza. However, these gatherings have repeatedly turned into bloody ambushes due to Israeli airstrikes and live fire, in a grim pattern unfolding without any international accountability.