Gaza Aid Foundation Chief Resigns Over Humanitarian Concerns Amid Israel-Hamas Conflict

Jake Wood, a former U.S. Marine and executive director of the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, resigned on Sunday, citing a failure to uphold core humanitarian principles. In a statement, Wood said the organization could not maintain “humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence,” and emphasized he would not compromise these values. He declined to provide further details and did not respond to media inquiries.

The foundation, established in February, was set to implement an Israeli-initiated plan to distribute aid through private companies instead of traditional U.N. and NGO channels. The strategy, which aimed to begin by the end of May, involved transporting aid to limited “secure distribution sites” in southern Gaza. However, the plan has faced strong criticism from the United Nations, which warned it could trigger forced displacement and escalate violence.

Since March 2, no humanitarian aid has reached Gaza, where over 500,000 people—approximately a quarter of the population—are at risk of starvation, according to global hunger monitors. The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, which erupted in October 2023, continues to impede relief efforts. Israel alleges Hamas has seized aid shipments, a claim Hamas denies, and insists no aid will be allowed until all hostages are released.

Earlier this month, Wood sent a letter to Israeli officials stating the foundation would not share any personally identifiable information of aid recipients. He also urged Israel to facilitate immediate aid deliveries through existing systems until the foundation's logistics were fully operational, aiming to ease humanitarian pressure and stabilize distribution efforts during the initial rollout.

Israeli, Palestinian, U.S., and U.N. officials have yet to comment on the resignation or the foundation’s future.