Summary
GoFundMe is facing criticism for blocking fundraisers related to aiding Gaza. Charity groups that use the platform say they have had their fundraising pages shut down or funds frozen, affecting their ability to provide help.
Key Facts
- GoFundMe has been accused of stopping donations linked to Gaza from reaching their intended recipients.
- Palestinian charity workers say that funds have been refunded to donors instead of reaching those in need.
- Since violence in October 2023 began, over $300 million has been raised on GoFundMe for people in Palestine and Israel.
- The Sameer Project, a group helping displaced people in Gaza, had $250,000 in donations refunded and described this as a major setback.
- GoFundMe says its actions are part of a standard review to verify fundraisers, which some critics claim unfairly targets Gaza-related donations.
- The company has not publicly shared specific data on how many Gaza fundraisers were closed compared to those for other causes.
- Criticism online suggests that fundraisers for other regions, like Ukraine and Israel, face less scrutiny from GoFundMe.
- Some groups avoid mentioning Gaza in their page titles to avoid reviews and continue raising funds without interruption.
