A Geneva-based branch of the US-backed "Gaza Humanitarian Institution" faces potential legal action after Swiss authorities uncovered regulatory violations, casting further doubt over the controversial organisation’s operations in the besieged Palestinian enclave.  

Court documents disclosed this week reveal that the institution, accused by Palestinian advocates of serving as a political instrument for Israel and the US, failed to meet Swiss legal requirements, including proper governance structures and financial transparency. The Geneva Commercial Register has given the group 30 days to rectify the breaches or face judicial intervention.  

Since launching its Gaza operations in late May, the institution has drawn fierce condemnation from UN agencies and international humanitarian groups, who accuse it of undermining established aid networks while failing to address the root causes of the crisis. Palestinian civil society organisations have long warned that such initiatives, often tied to Western and Israeli interests, prioritise political optics over meaningful relief for Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, enduring unprecedented deprivation under a 17-year blockade.  

The institution, registered in the US before expanding to Geneva last February, has dismissed the Swiss compliance notice as administrative, insisting its aid deliveries remain unaffected. Yet Swiss officials confirm the group lacks basic legal safeguards, including a valid board composition and domestic banking arrangements, raising questions about accountability in its Gaza operations.  

The controversy underscores broader Palestinian concerns over foreign-led aid schemes that bypass local coordination, often sidelining UNRWA and grassroots groups in favour of externally controlled mechanisms. With Gaza’s humanitarian catastrophe deepening, critics argue that politically driven interventions risk further fragmenting aid efforts while absolving Israel of its obligations as the occupying power.  

As Swiss authorities weigh further action, the case highlights the precarious role of international NGOs in Gaza, where aid, for many Palestinians, remains inseparable from the struggle for self-determination and an end to occupation.