Al-Akhbar journalist Yousef Fares interviews displaced Palestinians in North Gaza on November 12, 2024. Photo: Yousef Fares/Telegram
Unlike the early months of “Israel’s” war on Gaza, humanitarian aid has now become the sole source of food, as well as the basis for trade and economic activity. Factories are shut down, and commercial goods are no longer entering through the crossings on a regular basis. As a result, the livelihoods of all social classes have come to a halt, leaving employees, merchants, and laborers without work or monthly income. The goods available in markets across the northern and southern parts of Gaza, for example, are mostly food supplies from aid packages that families sell to local merchants to earn cash. With this money, they buy essentials like clothing, blankets, and medicine, while relying on free meals distributed by charitable soup kitchens for their daily food.
In light of the harsh reality, aid trucks entering Gaza have become instruments of manipulation and exploitation, shaping a new social and security reality under the control of the occupying forces. Recently, the occupation army has been intentionally targeting local and tribal security forces tasked with protecting these aid trucks from looting. Over the past two months, airstrikes have repeatedly hit security personnel from the “Popular Committees” as they waited for aid trucks to ensure they reached international organization warehouses safely. With dozens of security members martyred in these attacks, the occupying forces have effectively given organized gangs free rein to loot whatever they can from the aid trucks. This supports a misleading narrative that makes it seem as though “Israel” permits aid to flow into northern Gaza, while in reality, the aid often does not reach the warehouses meant for distribution, leading instead to the worsening of internal chaos and violent conflicts over the aid.
In central and southern Gaza, the aid trucks have sparked the rise of “family mafias” that play a dangerous role. According to local sources speaking to Al-Akhbar, certain powerful families block commercial and aid trucks, and demand large sums of money from the drivers to allow them safe passage. Those who refuse are looted. The sources indicate that this began with isolated incidents of theft but has since escalated into organized, armed family gangs, operating near “Israeli” military positions. Suspiciously, these gangs are never confronted by the occupation forces.
‘Israeli’ Withdrawal Blocks Return of Displaced in Northern Gaza
Aid has become a tool for creating “family mafias” engaged in harmful and exploitative activities
In this context, a report published by the Hebrew newspaper Haaretz revealed collusion between the occupation army and gangs in Gaza involved in looting humanitarian aid. The report stated that “the occupation army allows gangs in the southern Gaza Strip to take control of aid, loot it, and collect extortion fees to allow its passage.” The newspaper noted that “the thefts and looting occur just hundreds of meters from the occupation army, right under the watch of its forces,” quoting an official from an international organization who confirmed “seeing a gang member armed with a Kalashnikov standing close to an Israeli tank in southern Gaza.” According to Haaretz, the occupation army forces truck drivers to use routes it knows are blocked by these gangs. Furthermore, the coordinator of government activities in the territories advised international organizations to work with intermediaries who could liaise with these gangs and pay extortion fees to secure the delivery of aid.
The Al-Dameer Human Rights Foundation described this as an “Israeli tactic.” Its director, Alaa Al-Saqafi, asserted that the occupation forces are “colluding with armed gangs to facilitate the looting of aid trucks that are permitted entry,” adding that “the army deliberately targets police and security forces to spread chaos, perpetuating hunger and preventing aid from reaching those in need.”
In a related development, “Israel’s” Channel 12 claimed that the “Israeli” security cabinet had approved the expanded entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza following threats from the US administration to impose an arms embargo. The channel reported that the cabinet had decided to expand the designated humanitarian zone in central and southern Gaza and to halt forced evacuations, even in conflict areas. The broadcast ended with a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said, “Despite Donald Trump’s win, manoeuvring will be necessary over the next two months against the current Biden administration.”
Contradicting these claims, the occupation army advanced into Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza early yesterday, raiding four schools housing thousands of displaced people. The residents were forced to evacuate amid heavy shelling and gunfire, after which the army burned down these shelters and destroyed two aid trucks that had entered the area the day before, for the first time in 40 days.
Yousef Fares
Yousef Fares is a Palestinian reporter in Gaza. He is an author at Al-Akhbar News and he regularly posts updates on his telegram channel.
