This Is A Bigger Story Than You Might Think (Part 1)

12 Sivan 5785

This story is already two weeks old, but it's buried among so many other things that I think we are missing the bigger picture here.  This may take a few blog posts to unpack. As an introduction...

Lapid: Israel may be secretly funding agencies involved in Gaza aid distribution

According to the opposition head, Gulf states were expected to fund the aid but declined, citing concerns about the companies’ structure.

By ELIAV BREUER

MAY 26, 2025

Opposition head MK Yair Lapid questioned the government about the source of funding for two agencies involved in the government’s plan to distribute aid in the Gaza Strip, during a Knesset plenum debate on Monday.

Lapid questioned whether Israel had secretly financed humanitarian aid to Gaza through two shell companies, Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF) and Safe Reach Solutions (SRS), established in Switzerland and the US. According to Lapid, Gulf states were expected to fund the aid but declined, citing concerns about the companies’ structure.

Despite this, $100 million appeared in the organizations' budgets, with GHF’s CEO Jake Wood claiming the money came from "a country in western Europe," though no nation has acknowledged it. Wood later resigned, saying the aid plan couldn't fully adhere to humanitarian principles.

Lapid: Government may be deceiving Israeli citizens on Gaza aid

“If this money is indeed Israeli and the government is concealing it, it would not only be a deception of Israeli citizens—whose taxes fund it—but also one of the greatest diplomatic blunders in the country’s history,” Lapid said.

“If our tax money is already purchasing humanitarian aid, funding food and medicine for children in Gaza, then let's at least gain international recognition for it. For once, let’s have global headlines highlighting something positive Israel has done in Gaza.”

“Perhaps [National Security Minister Itamar] Ben-Gvir and [National Missions Minister Orit] Strock won’t like it, and maybe Smotrich fears people finding out he authorized the transfer, but the money has already been sent. This benefits Israeli public diplomacy, strengthens foreign relations, and even aligns with Jewish values,” Lapid said.

“The Israeli government should proudly declare that it funds these two organizations and do what it hates most—take responsibility for its actions and accept the consequences,” the opposition leader concluded. 

Mystery funding for Gaza aid sparks further speculation of Israeli

Funding for a new Gaza humanitarian initiative remains unclear, with US officials confirming unidentified donors and speculation of Israeli involvement; Chaos erupted at distribution centers on the first day, raising concerns about the initiative's effectiveness and the source of the funds

Itamar Eichner|05.28.25

The source of funding for a humanitarian aid initiative in Gaza remains unclear, raising questions about transparency and Israeli involvement. While U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee confirmed that “several parties have committed to providing funding,” those parties have chosen to remain anonymous. Separately, a spokesperson for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) claimed that a "foreign country" had pledged $100 million but declined to name said nation.

...When asked about the funding during the announcement of the new distribution method two and a half weeks ago, Huckabee responded: “It will come from wherever we can secure it. Several parties have already committed to assisting with funding, but they currently don’t want to be identified. When they’re ready, we’ll publish it, or they will publish it themselves.”

GHF, which has faced turmoil following an investigation in Switzerland regarding its activities, recently announced it would now operate through an American nonprofit with the same name. Last week, the organization’s spokesperson reiterated that a foreign country had pledged $100 million for future activities but refused to disclose which country.

...Avigdor Liberman, leader of Yisrael Beiteinu, alleged Mossad was funding the initiative. 

...Bezalel Smotrich, leader of the Religious Zionism party, described the opening of the distribution centers as “a turning point in the war that will lead to Hamas’ destruction.”

...Questions about Israeli involvement in the program have persisted, with reports suggesting that what was initially presented as an American-led aid initiative may have deeper ties to Israel. According to The Washington Post, as early as late 2023, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) began promoting a “humanitarian bubbles” program, spearheaded by then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, which resembles the current initiative.

A secret document prepared by the GHF foundation, as reported by The Washington Post, outlined strategies to engage Western countries, identified Arab influencers to promote the program, and created messaging guidelines. The document noted, “We need to be ready to answer questions about how a nonprofit that no one had heard of received special approvals from the Israeli government.”

The New York Times reported that discussions about the program began approximately 18 months ago in private meetings involving military officers, businesspeople, and other individuals with close ties to the Israeli government. This group, referred to as the Mikveh Israel Forum, held its first gathering in December 2023.

The forum reportedly included Yotam Cohen, a strategic advisor who joined COGAT and is the son of retired Major General Gershon Hacohen; Liran Tankman, a tech entrepreneur and investor described as “well-connected”; and Michael Eisenberg, a prominent Israeli venture capital investor.

According to the report, Cohen quickly became an aide to Brigadier General Roman Gofman, then a senior commander in COGAT. Gofman was later promoted to major general and now serves as Netanyahu’s military secretary. In June, Cohen published an article in a journal affiliated with the IDF’s Dado Center for Interdisciplinary Military Studies, outlining a vision for humanitarian aid distribution in Gaza that closely resembles the current program.

Gofman’s name also appeared in a Haaretz investigation, which revealed that SRS was selected to manage the aid program through a secretive process that bypassed traditional channels, including COGAT. The selection reportedly excluded the IDF and the Ministry of Defense, and was overseen by Gofman alongside a team of reserve officers and businesspeople recruited to advance the initiative.

A separate investigation by Shomrim, published on Ynet, revealed that the individuals behind the Swiss GHF nonprofit, which had previously established a similarly named entity in Delaware, recently decided to permanently shut down both organizations. According to a GHF spokesperson, the foundation will now operate through a third entity registered in the United States in February 2024. This new entity, also named GHF, is expected to receive the donations for the foundation, though the sources of these donations remain undisclosed.

Continue to Part 2.