Gaza Aid: Sudden Resignation of Director of the New Mechanism

26th May 2025

2 minutes read

Gaza Aid: Sudden Resignation of Director of the New Mechanism

The head of a controversial U.S.-backed humanitarian organization tasked with delivering aid to Gaza unexpectedly announced his immediate resignation on Sunday, deepening uncertainty about the future of the initiative.

In a statement released by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, Executive Director Jake Wood said he felt compelled to step down after realizing the organization could not fulfill its mission while remaining fully committed to humanitarian principles.

Based in Geneva, the foundation had pledged in February to distribute around 300 million meals within the first 90 days of its operations.

However, both the United Nations and traditional relief agencies had refused to work with the organization, amid accusations that it was collaborating closely with Israel.

The foundation emerged as international pressure mounted on Israel over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, where the Israeli army has been conducting a military offensive in response to Hamas‘s attack on October 7, 2023.

While the total blockade on Gaza, in place for over two months, has shown signs of easing in recent days, aid agencies continue to warn of an increasing risk of famine.

Jake Wood stated:
“Two months ago, I was approached to lead the efforts of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation due to my experience in humanitarian operations.”

He added:
“Like many around the world, I was devastated and heartbroken by the hunger crisis in Gaza. As a humanitarian leader, I felt morally obligated to do everything I could to help ease the suffering.”

He expressed pride in the work accomplished, which included developing a practical plan to feed the hungry, address security concerns over aid diversion, and complement the work of long-established NGOs in Gaza.

However, he concluded:
“It became clear that this plan could not be implemented while strictly adhering to humanitarian principles of neutrality, impartiality, and independence — values I am unwilling to compromise.”

The war erupted following Hamas’s surprise attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,218 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP count based on official Israeli figures.

251 hostages were taken during the assault; 57 remain in Gaza, including 34 declared dead by Israel.

Since the war began, 53,939 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, the majority of them women and children, and 122,797 have been injured. Since Israel resumed strikes on March 18 following a fragile two-month truce, at least 3,785 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health.

A statement from the Hamas government media office claims that the Israeli military now effectively controls 77% of the Gaza Strip, home to 2.4 million people, over two-thirds of whom are refugees.

Jake Wood called on Israel to “significantly scale up aid delivery to Gaza through all available mechanisms,” and urged “all stakeholders to continue exploring innovative new methods to deliver assistance without delay, discrimination, or diversion.”