Aid delivery halted, according to an official, amid claims by Gaza clans that Hamas is not responsible for pilfering the supplies.
In a shocking turn of events, Israel has temporarily halted humanitarian aid to Gaza for two days, according to a source. This move aims to prevent Hamas from taking control of the aid and diverting it for their own gains.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz released a joint statement on Wednesday, ordering the military to present a plan within two days to thwart Hamas' attempted takeover of the aid. The decision came in light of new information suggesting that Hamas was appropriating aid meant for civilians in northern Gaza.
Images circulated on Wednesday showed dozens of masked men, some armed and others carrying sticks, riding on aid trucks. An Israeli official, speaking anonymously, confirmed that aid deliveries were suspended for two days to give the military time to devise a new strategy.
The Higher Council of Tribal Affairs, which represents influential clans in the territory, declared that the trucks were protected as part of a security process for aid managed "solely through tribal efforts." Clans, formed by extended families united by blood and marriage ties, have long been a fundamental part of Gazan society.
Despite Hamas' denial of involvement, several factions, including Fatah, have intervened to help ensure the security of aid convoys throughout the ongoing conflict.
Amjad al-Shawa, director of an organization grouping Palestinian NGOs, confirmed that the aid protected by clans on Wednesday was being distributed to vulnerable families. A severe shortage of food and other basic supplies plagues Gaza after nearly two years of Israel's military campaign, which has displaced most of the territory's two million inhabitants.
Aid trucks and supply warehouses have frequently been looted by desperate and hungry Palestinians. Israel accuses Hamas of stealing aid for its own fighters or selling it to fund operations, allegations that Hamas vehemently denies.
Abu Salman Al Moghani, a representative of Gaza's clans, said the clans came together to form a position to prevent aggressors and thieves from stealing food that belongs to the people. Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, considered a viable rival to Netanyahu in the upcoming elections, shared a video of the incident on Twitter, claiming that Hamas had taken control of the aid.
Meanwhile, Israeli authorities continue to prohibit humanitarian organizations from distributing food parcels within Gaza, further complicating aid efforts and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region. The temporary halt on aid deliveries underscores the complex and precarious situation in Gaza, where the humanitarian situation remains critical, and restrictions imposed on direct aid distribution only serve to worsen the crisis.
Sources: Reuters, The Jerusalem Post, Haaretz
Related: Israel, Gaza Strip, Hamas
- The company of influential clans in Gaza, known as the Higher Council of Tribal Affairs, declared that the aid protected by them was being distributed to vulnerable families, amidst ongoing war-and-conflicts and political tensions between Israel and Hamas.
- In response to allegations of Hamas appropriating aid meant for civilians, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered a halt in humanitarian aid delivery, citing crime-and-justice concerns and the need for general news updates regarding the critical humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
