Israeli settlers block aid trucks to Gaza amid growing famine fears
A group of Israeli settlers gathered at the Karem Abu Salem border crossing to block aid trucks from entering the Gaza Strip, amid mounting international concern over the deepening humanitarian crisis and the threat of famine in the besieged enclave.
Videos shared online showed the settlers confronting trucks lined up on the road, waiting to cross the border. Settlers described the delivery of aid to Gaza as an “unimaginable injustice” while Israeli captives remain held by Hamas.
“We cannot stand idly by while this harm to our hostages continues,” one settler said.
Another called the aid deliveries “national suicide,” vowing to continue efforts to stop them. “It’s time to say: Until the hostages are home, no aid. We’ll be here every week, hundreds of reservists, to physically stop this insane move,” said a third protester.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said Tuesday that it had received Israeli approval to send around 100 more trucks into Gaza. However, despite Israel’s pledge to ease the near-total blockade in place for nearly three months, only five trucks entered the territory on Monday.
UN officials and humanitarian groups say that’s far from sufficient.
Speaking to The National, a UAE-based English-language daily, Tamara Alrifai, director of external relations and communications at the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), expressed frustration.
“To think that 19 months into the conflict and 11 weeks into a full blockade—with IPC figures and images of emaciated people, including children, in full view—we are back to counting trucks is truly disheartening,” she said.
Last month, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) warned that Gaza’s entire population is at risk of famine.
Euro-Med Human Rights reported Wednesday that at least 26 Palestinians — including nine children — died in the past 24 hours due to starvation and lack of medical care in Gaza.
Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is facing mounting international pressure for using starvation as a tool of war by restricting aid access to the besieged enclave, in violation of international humanitarian law.
