A committee representing influential tribal families in Gaza has firmly rejected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent accusations that Hamas militants are looting humanitarian aid intended for civilians in the blockaded Palestinian territory.
Following Israel’s illegal blockade of Gaza, which has lasted over two months, limited aid began entering the region in late May. However, rights groups warn that Gaza’s population of more than two million people continues to suffer severe shortages, with famine-like conditions and deadly chaos disrupting aid distribution.
On Wednesday, Netanyahu, joined by Defence Minister Israel Katz, alleged that new intelligence indicated Hamas was again seizing humanitarian aid entering northern Gaza and stealing it from civilians. He said the Israeli military was instructed to develop a plan to prevent such seizures.
In response, Gaza’s Higher Committee for Tribal Affairs—a non-Hamas committee formed during the conflict—issued a statement on Thursday categorically denying the accusations.
The committee said all aid is “fully secured under their direct supervision” and distributed exclusively through international agencies, stressing that “the securing of aid has been carried out purely through tribal efforts.”
The statement branded Netanyahu’s claims as “false” and called for a United Nations delegation to verify that aid distribution in Gaza is being properly managed.
AFP reporters witnessed a convoy led by a UN vehicle delivering aid into northern Gaza through the Zikim crossing near the Israeli city of Ashkelon. Several masked, armed men rode atop the aid trucks, telling AFP they were guarding the supplies to prevent looting before they reached their final destinations.
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir shared a video on social media purporting to show Hamas fighters controlling aid trucks, urging Netanyahu to stop all aid shipments to Gaza. However, the footage seemed to show protective measures by local groups.
Much of the aid entering Gaza bypasses the usual UN-led distribution channels and is delivered through the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US- and Israeli-led private organisation whose funding and operations remain opaque.
The GHF’s efforts have faced criticism over chaotic scenes, deaths near distribution points, and concerns about neutrality, with major aid agencies refusing to collaborate with the group. The foundation denies responsibility for any fatalities near its aid stations.
