The Palestinian group Hamas has forcefully rejected allegations made by the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) accusing its fighters of looting humanitarian aid trucks in the Gaza Strip, describing the claims as fabricated and an attempt to justify reducing vital aid to the besieged enclave.
The US military on Saturday released video footage allegedly captured by a military drone showing what it said were “suspected Hamas operatives looting an aid truck” on October 31 in northern Khan Younis. CENTCOM said the truck was traveling as part of a humanitarian convoy when the alleged incident took place.
Hamas: US Claims ‘Unfounded’ and ‘Politically Driven’
Responding on Sunday, Hamas issued a statement condemning the US accusations as “unfounded,” arguing they were “part of an attempt to justify the further reduction of already limited humanitarian aid” entering Gaza.
The group also accused the United States of supporting Israel’s ongoing blockade and policies of starvation against Gaza’s civilians.
“All manifestations of chaos and looting ended immediately after the withdrawal of the [Israeli] occupying forces,” Hamas said. “This proves that the occupation was the only party that sponsored the gangs and orchestrated the chaos.”
The statement went further to note that more than 1,000 members of Palestinian police and security forces have been killed and hundreds more wounded while protecting humanitarian convoys under constant Israeli attack. Hamas insisted that neither international aid groups nor local Palestinian drivers have filed any reports alleging looting by its fighters.
Aid Convoys Under Strain as Blockade Continues
The dispute comes amid a wider crisis over humanitarian aid entering Gaza, where more than 2.3 million Palestinians are struggling under severe shortages of food, water, medicine, and fuel due to Israel’s blockade and recurring military assaults.
According to Hamas, the number of aid trucks entering Gaza falls far short of what is being claimed by Washington. While the US has stated that over 600 trucks of goods have entered Gaza daily since the ceasefire agreement, Hamas says that the actual number of humanitarian aid trucks does not exceed 135 per day. The rest, they argue, are commercial shipments that most Palestinians cannot afford.
“The US adoption of the Israeli narrative only deepens Washington’s immoral bias,” Hamas said, accusing the US of downplaying Israeli attacks that have continued even after the ceasefire deal took effect.
Drone Surveillance Amid Ceasefire Agreement
CENTCOM clarified in its statement that its MQ-9 Reaper drone was monitoring the implementation of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, which came into effect on October 10 as part of a 20-point plan pushed by US President Donald Trump.
The first phase of the agreement includes the release of Israeli and foreign captives held in Gaza in exchange for the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. The broader plan aims to establish a new governing authority in Gaza without Hamas and includes plans for reconstruction.
Despite the ceasefire, violence has not fully stopped. Hamas says 254 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 600 injured by Israeli attacks carried out after the ceasefire agreement.
Gaza Death Toll Continues to Rise
Since Israel launched its military assault on Gaza in October 2023, more than 68,500 Palestinians have been killed, and over 170,600 have been wounded, according to figures from Gaza’s Ministry of Health.
Human rights groups and international agencies continue to warn of imminent famine and deepen calls for the blockade to be lifted. Meanwhile, the US accusations have intensified political tensions, threatening to disrupt ongoing humanitarian efforts in the war-torn enclave.
Leave a Reply