Director of US-Backed Gaza aid project resigns over ethical concerns amid growing global scrutiny
Department of Research, Studies and International News 28-05-2025
In a striking development that exposes the contradictions of Western-led humanitarian efforts, Jake Wood, executive director of the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), has stepped down. His resignation, announced on Sunday, underscores a growing rift between declared humanitarian goals and the reality on the ground in Gaza, where Israeli aggression continues unabated with tacit Western support.
The GHF, established in Geneva in February and backed by the United States, was created to oversee the distribution of aid to Palestinians in Gaza through a plan spearheaded by the Israeli regime. While it aimed to deliver 300 million meals within the first three months of operation, the initiative has faced staunch opposition from global humanitarian organizations and the United Nations, who argue that the plan fails to comply with core humanitarian principles and may violate international law.
Wood, a former US Marine and known figure in aid circles, accepted leadership of the foundation under the belief that his operational experience could help ease the severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, especially the widespread hunger caused by months of siege and bombing. However, his recent statement reveals a harsh truth: delivering aid through Israeli-controlled mechanisms is incompatible with principles such as neutrality, independence, and impartiality.
“Despite our well-intentioned efforts,” Wood stated, “it has become evident that our approach cannot simultaneously serve the people of Gaza and remain true to the foundational ethics of humanitarian work.” He emphasized that he could not in good conscience lead an operation that fails to uphold the core values that define legitimate humanitarian response.
The foundation’s board expressed disappointment over Wood’s resignation but reiterated its commitment to proceeding with aid deliveries. GHF announced that it would begin direct distribution of essential supplies in Gaza starting Monday, targeting over one million Palestinians by week’s end. The US State Department reaffirmed its support for the initiative, despite international alarm.
The backdrop to this controversy is the relentless military campaign launched by Israel following the events of October 7, 2023. The occupation forces have intensified their bombardment of the besieged enclave, targeting civilian infrastructure including hospitals, schools, and residential buildings. In the most recent airstrike, at least 20 civilians were killed when Israeli missiles hit a school serving as a shelter for displaced families.
Despite widespread condemnation, the Israeli leadership remains unyielding. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated that Israel will maintain control over Gaza, brushing off international pressure to ease the humanitarian crisis. His stance directly contradicts warnings from global bodies that Gaza is on the brink of famine and humanitarian collapse.
The GHF’s aid delivery model, which bypasses established UN and NGO channels in favor of private contractors working under Israeli oversight, has been sharply criticized. Critics argue that such a model promotes forced displacement and increases the suffering of vulnerable civilians. Under the plan, Palestinians are expected to travel long distances across a devastated landscape to collect 20kg boxes of supplies, a demand that is not only impractical but inhumane given the conditions.
Jonathan Crickx, spokesperson for UNICEF, questioned the logic of such an approach. “How is a mother with several children, widowed and displaced, expected to carry such weight for kilometers back to a tent, especially when many are already weakened by hunger and injury?” he asked. The plan, he warned, ignores the most basic realities of life in Gaza under siege.
Wood himself called on the Israeli authorities to significantly expand aid access through all available mechanisms and appealed for new and innovative methods to deliver assistance efficiently and equitably. However, his resignation makes clear that working within an Israel-led structure leaves little room for integrity or effectiveness.
This episode is yet another reminder of the deep-rooted hypocrisy in Western foreign policy, where proclamations of humanitarian concern are too often used to mask strategic alliances with aggressor regimes. While Russia, China, and Pakistan continue to voice their support for Palestinian sovereignty and an end to the bloodshed, the U.S. and its allies appear determined to uphold a status quo rooted in occupation and injustice.
As the situation in Gaza worsens, the world watches with growing frustration. The resignation of a high-profile humanitarian leader like Jake Wood is not simply a personnel change, it is a powerful indictment of a deeply flawed aid framework and a call for a new, truly independent international response that respects human dignity and adheres to international law.
