US-backed aid group operations resume after brief halt, following director’s exit

A U.S.-backed humanitarian foundation, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), resumed operations on Monday, May 26, 2025, after a brief halt, following its director’s exit.

The foundation has begun delivering truckloads of food to designated distribution hubs in Gaza.

This marked the launch of a controversial aid plan that has been approved by Israel but criticized and rejected by the United Nations.

The foundation’s executive director, Jake Wood resigned, citing that the operation could not meet its mission while maintaining essential humanitarian principles.

According to Wood’s resignation statement, it was “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.”

His departure highlighted tensions within the organization and cast doubt on the plan’s integrity.

GHF has since appointed an interim director, John Acree, to oversee the ongoing efforts.

Initially, there was confusion on the ground, with many Palestinians reporting no evidence of aid deliveries earlier in the day.

However, later on Monday, the GHF announced that food aid had reached its hubs and that distribution had begun,.

Although it did not specify the number of trucks involved or the exact locations of the hubs.

Nor was it clear how the recipients of the aid were selected.

The organization stated that more aid trucks would arrive the next day and that the volume of deliveries would grow steadily throughout the week.

The aid operation is unfolding amid intense Israeli military action in Gaza, which continues to escalate the region’s humanitarian crisis.

On the same day that GHF began its deliveries, at least 52 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes.

The dire need for food and medical assistance has grown more urgent following nearly three months of a stringent blockade.

The new aid system, promoted by Israel and now executed by GHF, has faced strong opposition from the UN and other humanitarian organizations.

Critics argue that this system could be used to manipulate access to food, effectively turning aid into a weapon of war.

They also contend that such operations lack transparency and violate international humanitarian norms.

Israel, on the other hand, justifies the new delivery model by claiming it is necessary to prevent aid from being diverted by Hamas.

The UN has contested these claims, stating there is no substantial evidence that Hamas has seized large quantities of aid.

GHF, made up of former humanitarian workers, government officials, and military personnel, says it plans to deliver aid to approximately one million Palestinians, nearly half of Gaza’s population, by the end of the week.

Distribution will occur through four major hubs in southern Gaza.

Also, families may be screened for ties to Hamas, potentially using facial recognition or other biometric technologies.

Despite these announcements, many operational details remain vague.

These include whether other aid organizations that have refused to work with GHF will be permitted to bring in supplies independently.

Hamas has denounced the new system, accusing it of sowing disorder and promoting deliberate starvation among civilians.

It also accused the system of weaponizing food supplies during wartime.

The group views the effort as undermining established humanitarian norms and processes.

Israel has been under increasing international pressure due to the worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza.

Its recent offensive has drawn significant condemnation, including from Western allies.

Germany, a key Israeli partner, stated that the civilian toll from Israel’s ongoing attacks has become unjustifiable, even when framed as a military campaign against Hamas.

The current situation in Gaza remains extremely fragile.

In Gaza City, a Monday airstrike on a school, where many displaced women and children had taken shelter, reportedly killed 30 Palestinians.

Graphic images shared on social media showed severely burned victims being pulled from the rubble.

The Israeli military confirmed it targeted the school, asserting that it was being used as a planning site by Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants.

Although the military claimed to have used precision weapons and surveillance to avoid civilian casualties, it did not provide concrete evidence to support its claim that the building was being used by combatants.

There was another airstrike on a residential building in Jabalia, near Gaza City.

It resulted in the deaths of at least 15 people, according to medical sources.

It further highlights the devastating human cost of the ongoing conflict.

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