Gaza: 2,400 aid trucks entered since ceasefire, Hamas accused of theft
Gazan residents denounced the theft and resale of humanitarian aid by the terrorist organization Hamas, while prices remain high
More than 2,400 humanitarian aid trucks have entered the Gaza Strip since the ceasefire began on Sunday, according to the UN on Wednesday. However, Gazans accuse Hamas of diverting this aid. "We see no aid or goods at reasonable prices," one resident told Israel's N12 news. "Hamas steals the aid and resells it to merchants, who set the prices they want at the expense of the entire population," another resident charged.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) announced that about 900 humanitarian aid trucks entered Gaza on Wednesday, surpassing Israel's commitment to allow 600 daily trucks according to the agreement.
Mohammad al-Hindi, vice-secretary general of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, acknowledged in an interview with Saudi channel Al-Hadath that "no one will be ready to send aid to Gaza if Palestinian resistance forces administer the enclave," He added that "the Hamas government remains in place in Gaza until an alternative is found."
Questions remain regarding the control of the Rafah Hamas crossing, with the Palestinian Authority possibly in control of the Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings, similar to the model in 2014. However, the organization would continue to collect taxes at Kerem Shalom and maintain its control over internal affairs. This concession would allow Hamas to retain its power in Gaza. Such a turn of events, however, has been categorically rejected by Israel.