Minderoo Foundation unveils transformational plan for Gaza aid delivery

11 Jun 2024 – AMMAN, Jordan -- Australia’s Minderoo Foundation has unveiled a two-pronged package to transform the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza, including a new partnership with the United Nations to strengthen the Jordanian Corridor.

The cornerstone of the package is SafeGates – a fast, secure and effective plan that will assist the avoidance of a major starvation event in Gaza impacting up to 1 million people, including 400,000 children. SafeGates will enable the flow of food and medicine into Gaza while maintaining the highest levels of security via three (3) new automated entry gates between Israel and Gaza.

The plan has been developed in consultation with the Government of Israel and Palestinian communities for the past two months.

• SafeGates Presentation (English), Arabic, Hebrew
• SafeGates Video (English), Arabic, Hebrew
• Minderoo Foundation Gaza Food Insecurity Report (English), Arabic, Hebrew

With new statistics showing the flow of humanitarian aid supplies into Gaza has dropped by 67 per cent since 7 May, SafeGates would allow the safe delivery of 10,000 tonnes of food into Gaza per day via hundreds of truck movements. The trucks would be remotely monitored by a military grade automated system that uses 3D scanning to ensure security.

Chairman and Founder of Minderoo Foundation, Dr Andrew Forrest AO, announced the SafeGates plan at today’s conference “Call for Action: Urgent Humanitarian Response for Gaza” hosted by His Majesty Abdullah II of Jordan.

Dr Forrest also used the conference to announce a US$5 million commitment to accelerate aid flows into Gaza, including through a new partnership with the United Nations to strengthen the Jordanian Corridor.

The contribution includes an initial collaboration with the United Nations Office of Project Services (UNOPS) to bring significant improvements to the ‘Jordanian Corridor’ – an existing humanitarian land corridor into Gaza.

“Right now, the Jordanian people are bearing a significant load by leading the single most effective route into Gaza. It is my intention to lighten their load,” Dr Forrest said. “We will provide the expertise and finance to build the warehouses they so sorely need, deliver more trucks to move aid faster and procure the supplies themselves.

“Minderoo Foundation’s US$5 million contribution will deliver greater quantities of aid and in doing so reduce the burden on the Kingdom of Jordan. It will also support enhanced end-to-end efficiency through coordination with the UN. We are determined to ensure every avenue is exhausted to bring aid to those in need.”

With regards to SafeGates, Minderoo Foundation will underwrite the cost of constructing the gates, along with the purchase of six (6) high resolution container scanners, multiple lidar and radar units, plus all ancillary equipment required to ensure the safe and efficient passage of vehicles transporting aid into Gaza.

The United Nations has consistently identified a lack of scanning infrastructure and practical logistical support at key processing sites and crossing points as a barrier to aid deliveries.

“Being located at crossing points into Gaza, the gates will be operated by a third party that will have remote monitoring capabilities over the facilities and scanning equipment and determine the gates’ operational hours,” Dr Forrest said.

“There is no cost to Israel and the plan respects red lines. On the Gazan side, we will work with the existing network of agencies, businesses, as well as Palestinian community groups for aid distribution within the Strip.”

A Minderoo team of medical experts and statisticians has calculated a total accrued caloric deficit of 206,000 kcal per person in the four key locations in the Gaza Strip – Gaza City, Khan Younis City, Dier Al Balah City and Rafah City – since January 2024.

To address the shortfall, the entire Gaza Strip population required about 210,000 tonnes of food aid – or almost 21,000 trucks.

The Kingdom of Jordan has leveraged its strong relationship with the State of Israel to effectively provide humanitarian access to Gaza throughout the conflict. This has been achieved via two separate aid routes directly overland from the Kingdom into Gaza that have not been hampered by the need for additional checks or inspections following pre- clearance by relevant authorities in the Kingdom.

Minderoo Foundation’s contribution will bring an entire supply chain improvement to the Jordanian Corridor, including the provision of additional trucks – to be operated by the Jordanian Armed Forces on behalf of JHCO – to drive aid into Gaza.

Since October 2023, Minderoo Foundation responded immediately providing AUD$11.5m to deliver safe water, sanitation, medical supplies, medical consultations and food aid for tens of thousands of people in Gaza.

From this time, Minderoo has remained closely engaged, deepening its understanding of the situation on the ground through extensive engagement with active NGOs in Gaza, key UN agencies and in-person visits.

Gaza Summit Speech - Dr Andrew Forrest AO