As Gaza plunges deeper into humanitarian collapse, Palestinian economists and analysts are warning that Israel’s new aid distribution scheme is less about relief and more about control. The plan, which bypasses Palestinian institutions and UN agencies, is being seen as a calculated attempt to reshape the Strip’s governance under the guise of humanitarian assistance.

Experts argue that the Israeli occupation is exploiting the desperate situation to revive failed administrative models aimed at fragmenting Palestinian society. By funnelling limited aid through selected zones and unaccountable intermediaries, aid becomes a tool of coercion rather than compassion—used to weaken the Palestinian cause and dismantle international support systems such as UNRWA.

Attempts to drop aid from the sky or float it in via temporary platforms have failed to address the scale of need. Instead, they have created chaos, left families scrambling for scraps, and reinforced a dangerous message: that Palestinians must accept humiliation and political surrender in exchange for basic sustenance.

With over 3,000 aid trucks stuck at closed crossings, and famine looming, the international community faces a choice. Either it reaffirms its commitment to a just and orderly humanitarian response—or it watches as Gaza is forced to survive on handouts wrapped in political conditions and silence.