The director of a US-backed humanitarian organisation, accused of complicity in Israel’s blockade of Gaza, has resigned abruptly, casting further doubt on the legitimacy of the aid effort. Jake Wood, executive director of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, stepped down after admitting the initiative could not operate without violating humanitarian principles.  

In a statement, Wood said the aid plan was unworkable and called on Israel to urgently expand relief access through all available channels. His departure follows heavy criticism from rights groups, who accuse Israel of weaponising aid distribution to enforce displacement and tighten military control over Gaza.  

The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor condemned Israel’s new aid mechanism as a violation of international law, designed to mislead global opinion while perpetuating starvation. Under the system, families must send representatives on perilous journeys—up to 30 kilometres on foot—to collect meagre rations from Israeli-run centres. With roads destroyed, transport banned, and arbitrary detentions rampant, the process has been branded a deliberate policy of "managing hunger, not ending it."  

An investigation by "Haaretz" reveale that the foundation, registered in Switzerland but marketed as a US-based charity, was secretly orchestrated by aides to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, bypassing Israeli security and aid coordination bodies. Officials expressed alarm over the opaque selection process, alleging financial misconduct and private interests behind the multi-million-dollar scheme.  

As Gaza’s humanitarian catastrophe worsens, Palestinian advocates argue that an occupying power accused of starvation crimes cannot be a credible aid partner. With Israel continuing to obstruct land deliveries, rights groups demand urgent international intervention to break the siege.