Gaza residents are reporting widespread seizure of humanitarian aid by Hamas as thousands of relief trucks enter the Strip during the ongoing ceasefire. The UN confirms approximately 2,400 trucks have delivered supplies, with 900 entering yesterday alone - exceeding the daily 600-truck requirement under the current agreement.
"Hamas steals the aid and sells it to traders who set whatever prices they want, at the expense of an entire people," said one resident, who requested anonymity for safety concerns. Others report seeing no aid reaching civilians at reasonable prices, despite the massive influx of supplies.
The accusations come as residents return to devastated neighborhoods following Israeli military withdrawals from central Gaza City. Hamas police have been documented controlling crowds of returning civilians, highlighting the group's continued authority in the region.
In a revealing interview with Saudi news channel Al-Hadath, Islamic Jihad deputy secretary-general Muhammad al-Hindi acknowledged the challenge of aid distribution, stating that "no one would be willing to bring aid to Gaza if Palestinian resistance forces manage the Strip." He confirmed Hamas maintains control pending discussions with the Palestinian Authority about future governance.
It's nothing we haven't seen before: Growing tensions between Gaza's humanitarian crisis and Hamas's grip on power, as international aid pours into a region struggling to rebuild amid ongoing conflict.
UN officials report the aid includes essential food, medical supplies, and other humanitarian necessities, though distribution challenges persist. The ceasefire agreement requires Israel to permit 600 aid trucks daily, a quota that current deliveries are exceeding.
But it's a very shaky ceasefire indeed and it feels like just about anything could derail it at any moment, anything that doesn't include stopping Hamas from re-arming and launching October 7th 2.0. Not depressing at all.
Kikar HaShabbat contributed to this article.
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