Jerusalem, 1 September, 2025 (TPS-IL) — The Israel Defense Forces on Monday dismissed claims by United Nations experts that Palestinians had been “forcibly disappeared” at aid distribution sites in Gaza, describing the allegations as “entirely unfounded.” The statement follows reports from seven UN rights experts who said they had received information that multiple individuals, including a child, were taken after visiting Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) sites, alleging that the IDF was “directly involved in the enforced disappearances of people seeking aid.”
The IDF said the allegations ignore the context of ongoing security operations in the Gaza Strip.
“We permit the [GHF] to operate independently and distribute aid to Gaza residents, and operate near the distribution zones to allow the distribution to take place alongside the IDF’s continued operational activity in the Strip,” the IDF said. The military explained that individuals who approach aid sites outside operational hours or in ways deemed threatening may be detained for questioning.
“If the initial field questioning raises suspicion that a detainee has engaged in activity against our forces, the suspect is transferred for further interrogation in Israel,” the army said. “Detainees for whom there is no justification for detention are released in the Gaza Strip, while those for whom grounds exist for continued detention, in accordance with the law, are brought before a judge and are entitled to legal representation as provided by law.” The IDF stressed that “when minors are involved, this is taken into account, and they are treated with the required sensitivity and in accordance with the law.”
The GHF also responded to the UN experts’ concerns, saying it had “no evidence” of enforced disappearances at its sites.
“We operate in a war zone where serious allegations exist against all parties operating outside our sites,” the foundation said, noting the difficulties of maintaining aid operations in a conflict area.
Since May, the GHF has distributed more than 147 million meals at three distribution sites.
A special report by The Press Service of Israel in July found that, according to the UN’s own numbers, a staggering 85% of the aid entering the Gaza Strip by truck since May 19 has been stolen. The investigation found that a combination of black-market profiteers and inflation has made much of the aid in Gaza markets unaffordable for most Palestinians.
“From the start, Hamas has tried to make the humanitarian distribution by GHF fail,” an Israeli military official told TPS-IL at the time. “They intimidate civilians and threaten anyone who approaches aid centers.” The same official confirmed a June incident in which grenades were thrown at American aid workers.
Captured Hamas documents also revealed threats against aid workers and the terror group’s deliberate efforts to sow chaos in Gaza’s streets, such as closing markets, stirring unrest, and preventing civilians from reaching distribution points through intimidation or gunfire.
Approximately 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 48 remaining hostages, around 20 are believed to be alive.
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