Foreign contractors are set to carry out a contentious new food aid system in Gaza, displacing experienced aid agencies like the United Nations. It was conceived and largely developed by Israelis as a way to undermine Hamas.

Israel appears to be changing tack as pressure mounts to get more aid into Gaza, and may let aid groups operating in the battered enclave take charge of non-food assistance.

Hours after the Al Haj bakery handed out its last piece of bread on Thursday, Jihad Al Shafie was still waiting, his hope of bringing some food to his family long gone.