Switzerland moves to shut down Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's Geneva office

Swiss regulators have initiated legal steps to shut down the Geneva office of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a controversial aid organization backed by the United States and 'Israel', citing significant legal deficiencies in its registration and operations.

The foundation, which is registered in Delaware in the United States, established an affiliate in Geneva on February 12. However, according to the Swiss Federal Supervisory Authority for Foundations (ESA), the organization failed to meet several legal requirements, including appointing the required number of board members, providing a valid postal address, and maintaining a Swiss bank account.

In an official creditors’ notice published Wednesday in the Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce, the ESA announced, “The ESA may order the dissolution of the foundation if no creditors come forward within the legal 30-day period.” The agency further stated that GHF had acknowledged it had never conducted any activities within Switzerland and had already declared its intention to dissolve the Geneva branch voluntarily.

Geneva authorities had also issued a separate warning last week, giving the group 30 days to correct what they described as “deficiencies in the organisation” or risk further legal action.

The GHF began its aid operations in the Gaza Strip at the end of May, distributing food parcels amid worsening humanitarian conditions. The group has claimed to have delivered over 52 million meals in just five weeks. But its rapid entry into Gaza and operational model, which includes fixed distribution hubs often located near areas concentrated with 'Israeli' forces, has drawn sharp criticism, particularly from the United Nations.

Palestinian medical officials report that more than 500 people have been killed near these distribution points or along the roads leading to them, often in mass shootings. The 'Israeli' military acknowledged this week that civilian harm had occurred near the centers, stating that its forces had received new orders after what it called “lessons learned.”

The controversy around GHF has grown as critics question its neutrality in a conflict zone where aid delivery is already fraught with risk and political tension. The organization has defended itself by stating that other aid groups have seen "nearly all of their aid looted," while GHF’s model ensures supplies actually reach those in need.