UNITED NATIONS — Israel’s U.N. Ambassador, Danny Danon, accused the U.N. of employing coercive tactics to dissuade NGOs from collaborating with the newly established, U.S.-supported Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).

During his address to the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday, Danon asserted that the U.N. was using “threats, intimidation and retaliation” against NGOs that dared to disregard the organization’s call to boycott GHF. He characterized the U.N.’s reaction to NGOs working with GHF as “mafia-like.”

“Without deliberation or proper procedure, the U.N. excluded these NGOs from the shared aid database, the primary system for monitoring aid shipments into Gaza,” Danon informed the Security Council. “This represents a severe breach of the U.N.’s own principles, amounting to extortion against well-intentioned NGOs that refuse to comply.”

At the same Security Council meeting, Acting U.S. Alternate Representative John Kelley urged Israel “to reach agreements on how to operationalize this system in a way that works for all,” and stressed the importance of preventing Hamas from exploiting any established humanitarian aid distribution system.

GHF released a statement on Wednesday, reporting the opening of another secure aid distribution site “without incident.” The organization also addressed certain claims regarding its operations, stating that, contrary to reports, no Palestinians have been questioned or detained while receiving aid, nor have any been shot or killed while attempting to obtain aid.

GHF refutes claims that its sites were overrun on Tuesday, stating: “GHF anticipated potential pressure at the [safe distribution sites] due to severe hunger and Hamas-imposed blockades, which create dangerous conditions outside the gates.”

“According to established protocol, the GHF team briefly eased security measures to prevent crowd reactions to receiving food. No beneficiaries were harmed, no lives were lost, and all available food was distributed without interference. Order was restored without incident. As in all emergency response situations, particularly in conflict zones, this type of reaction from stressed beneficiary populations is expected and we remain prepared to continue providing lifesaving assistance should disruptions occur.”

“Unfortunately, many parties wish to see GHF fail. Conditions remain very difficult, and the lives of both Gazans and aid workers are at stake,” GHF stated.

The U.N. has maintained its opposition to GHF.

U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher, who previously described the GHF as a “fig leaf for further violence and displacement” of Palestinians in Gaza, has clearly expressed his objections to the program. Fletcher appealed on X for the U.N. to assume control of aid distribution in Gaza.

“We have the supplies, plan, will, and networks to deliver massive amounts of lifesaving aid to civilians in Gaza, in line with humanitarian principles, as the world is demanding,” Fletcher wrote.

Earlier this month, Fletcher encouraged the international community to support a new plan, despite the U.N. already having one in place.

On Wednesday, as Israel commemorated 600 days since the Oct. 7 massacre, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that “121 trucks belonging to the U.N. and the international community” were permitted entry into the Gaza Strip, carrying food and other aid.