The head of the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) has resigned, citing concerns over “humanitarian principles,” reported CNN.
The GHF has sparked controversy and faced criticism as the UN and other humanitarian groups warned that it would enable Israel to weaponize aid and forcibly displace Palestinians.
GHF Head Resignation
The US military veteran and GHF executive director, Jake Wood, announced on Sunday his resignation after weeks of the organization’s establishment. In a statement, Wood said: “I am proud of the work I oversaw, including developing a pragmatic plan that could feed hungry people, address security concerns about diversion, and complement the work of longstanding NGOs in Gaza.”
The aim of the GHF is to oversee a new mechanism for aid delivery into Gaza, backed by both the US and Israel. The organization expressed disappointment over Wood’s resignation, criticizing opponents whom it described as being “more focused on tearing this apart than on getting aid in,” it said in a statement.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation also said it would move on with its delivery plans on Monday, with trucks “loaded and ready to go.” It also pointed to plans to expand rapidly to deliver food to “the full population in the weeks ahead.”
Independency Concerns
In his resignation statement, the organization’s head cited concerns over humanitarian principles. “However, it is clear that it is not possible to implement this plan while also strictly adhering to the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence, which I will not abandon,” Wood said.
He added that he had tried to establish the foundation as a “a truly independent humanitarian entity.” Wood also said that the hunger crisis in Gaza made him “horrified and heartbroken,” urging Israel and the international community to take immediate actions to alleviate the civilians’ suffering.
“I urge Israel to significantly expand the provision of aid into Gaza through all mechanisms, and I urge all stakeholders to continue to explore innovative new methods for the delivery of aid, without delay, diversion, or discrimination,” Wood said.
GHF Aid Mechanism
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation aid delivery mechanism includes establishing a small number of distribution centers, where Palestinian civilians will head once a week to get one aid package per family, sufficient for 7 days. The organization will cooperate with private American contractors to secure aid trucks on their way from the enclave’s borders to the distribution hubs.
Under the plan, heads of households will head to the distribution hubs to receive a 20kg box, containing food supplies and basic hygiene items, according to The Guardian. The mechanism does not involve plans to provide aid to sick, starving or elderly people who cannot walk long distances.
The initial phase involves four distribution hubs located in southern and central Gaza, with plans to expand across several areas within the next month. During the first phase, the organization is expected to feed only 60% of Gaza’s population.
International Criticism
The GHF has faced heavy criticism from the UN and other humanitarian organizations, which refused to cooperate with it amid fears that it would put civilian lives in danger and forcibly displace them.
The UN warned that establishing the first distribution hubs in southern and central Gaza could be designed to drive Israel’s stated goal of forcing “the entire Gazan population” out of northern Gaza, according to remarks by the Israeli Defense Minister, Israel Katz, in early May.
The UNICEF Spokesperson, Jonathan Crickx, warned that the plan would exacerbate the suffering of children and families in Gaza. “How is a mother of four children, who has lost her husband, going to carry 20kg back to her makeshift tent, sometimes several kilometers away?” Crickx asked. “The most vulnerable people, including the elderly, people with disabilities, the sick and wounded, and orphans, will face huge challenges to access aid,” he said.
Starvation Crisis
The Israeli blockade on aid delivery into Gaza has created widespread starvation amid shortages in food and humanitarian supplies. On Sunday, Gaza’s Health Ministry said it recorded 58 deaths from malnutrition and 242 deaths from food and medicine shortages since Israel’s blockade began on March 2, 2025.
In response to mounting pressures, Israel said last week it would allow a “basic amount of food” to enter Gaza to prevent a “starvation crisis” that could threaten its ongoing military operation in the Strip. It said it allowed 107 aid trucks to enter Gaza on Sunday, according to CNN.
However, the UNRWA said this amount was not enough as the enclave needs from 500 to 600 trucks daily to prevent a severe humanitarian catastrophe. Furthermore, the UN complained that Israel had made aid trucks travel across insecure routes.
