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State Department declines details on new foundation-backed Gaza aid plan; says aid must avoid Hamas
Summary
A State Department spokesperson said a nongovernmental foundation plans to announce a Gaza aid mechanism soon and that the U.S. supports getting aid to civilians while preventing diversion to Hamas, but officials would not provide details at the briefing.
A nongovernmental foundation is preparing to announce a new mechanism to deliver humanitarian assistance to Gaza, but the State Department declined to provide operational details at a May 8 press briefing.
State Department spokesperson Tammy told reporters the administration supports rapidly getting urgent food and medical aid into Gaza "in a way that the food aid actually gets to those to whom it's intended." She said the plan "cannot fall into the hands of terrorists such as Hamas" and called for creative, practical solutions to deliver assistance.
Why it matters: Aid delivery and distribution mechanisms are central to efforts to address civilian suffering in Gaza and are politically sensitive because of concerns that extremist groups might seize supplies.
Tammy said Ambassador Witkoff and negotiators are continuing intensive diplomacy on hostages and ceasefire discussions, and she repeatedly declined to discuss negotiation specifics or details of the promised foundation program, saying the foundation will announce particulars. Reporters raised a widely reported name for the Swiss-based Gaza charitable fund; Tammy said it would be a mistake to speculate about the foundation’s identity before an official announcement.
Discussion vs. decisions: The briefing presented the foundation plan as forthcoming; no U.S. policy change, funding commitment or operational role was announced. Tammy said she would not "speak on behalf of the foundation," and that full details should come from the organization making the announcement.
Context and next steps: The State Department said it welcomes moves to get aid into Gaza quickly and urged others to support plans that ensure aid reaches intended civilians. Exact mechanisms, participating states and financing were "not specified" at the briefing; reporters were told to await the foundation's formal announcement.
