Preacher, PR, ad boss – the unlikely CV of the evangelical Gazan aid leader

The Reverend Johnnie Moore is a rising star of the US evangelical movement, an experienced public relations executive, and leads a Christian advertising agency that counts a theme park built around a 510ft-long model of Noah’s ark in Kentucky as one of its flagship projects.

During Donald Trump’s first term he was appointed to the president's council of evangelical advisers, drawing criticism after sharing a photograph of the group laying their hands on Trump to bless him during a prayer in the Oval Office.

Adding to the eclectic CV is a year-long stint as chief of staff for Mark Burnett, the British TV executive who created The Apprentice and transformed Trump’s career.

Then, last week, he was given his most high-profile role so far: chairing the controversial privatised and militarised aid operation in Gaza. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation lauded him as someone with “a proven record of principled leadership and hands-on humanitarian work”. This appeared to be a reference to his 15 years on the board of WorldHelp, which donates relief and builds wells alongside efforts to distribute Bibles and build churches worldwide. Ten years ago, Moore collaborated with conservative radio host Glenn Beck to evacuate some 150 Christians from northern Iraq.

But there are no indications that Moore has ever been involved with the day-to-day realities of aid distribution, particularly in a situation as challenging as Gaza.

Since it began work two weeks ago, GHF has drawn controversy for its plan to deliver aid to more than 2m people considered by the United Nations to be on the brink of starvation, using armed American private contractors. Distribution was paused at the few points operated by GHF last week after Israeli forces opened fire on crowds trying to reach them.

In two instances of violence days apart, the International Committee of the Red Cross said that 48 were killed and hundreds were treated, mostly for gunshot wounds, at its nearby field hospital. The Israeli military said troops “carried out warning fire” after crowds deviated from access routes.

GHF countered that “at no point did violence occur” and blamed the pause on “excessive crowding that made it unsafe to proceed”.

Moore and his public relations firm, JDA Worldwide, declined interview requests from The Observer. But writing for Fox News, Moore lashed out at GHF’s critics and UN bodies, as well as accusing UN chief António Guterres of spreading lies about fatalities as Gazans sought to obtain aid.

“Instead of just focusing on feeding Gazans, GHF humanitarians must fight a profane information war,” he said. “Join us or get out of our way.”

Many of those who were supposed to be involved in the project have chosen the latter option. GHF’s executive director, Jake Wood, resigned last month, saying it was not possible for the organisation to adhere to “the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence”.

The former head of the UN’s World Food Programme, David Beasley, has remained resolutely silent on his involvement, after an initial GHF document claimed he was on board.

Xavier Abu Eid, a Palestinian Christian scholar, said of Moore’s appointment: “To pick someone like Moore, someone who works in public relations without real experience in humanitarian aid, this tells you that the priority is not relief distribution.”  He branded the project “nothing more than mercenaries distributing aid”.