The Private Transport and Contractors Union in Gaza announced Thursday a complete suspension of humanitarian aid transport across the Gaza Strip until further notice.
The decision follows allegations that an aid convoy was attacked Wednesday evening by unidentified gunmen, resulting in the death of one driver, injuries to three others, and significant damage to the trucks. The incident has reignited debate over Israel’s alleged role in arming local militias, some of which have been accused of looting aid convoys.
Footage from a shooting in an aid distribution center
The convoy, consisting of 50 aid trucks, had entered Gaza via the Kerem Shalom crossing and proceeded along the perimeter road through the Kisufim gate en route to Deir al-Balah in central Gaza. The ambush occurred at the intersection of Al-Shuhadaa and Salah al-Din Streets, where gunmen opened fire directly on the drivers and their vehicles. The identity of the assailants remains unclear, though they claimed to be independent and not affiliated with Hamas.
On Thursday, Yisrael Beiteinu party leader Avigdor Lieberman alleged that Israel is arming Islamic State-affiliated militias in Gaza under orders from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Prime Minister’s Office did not deny the claim. Yasser Abu Shabab, a Rafah resident recently named as the leader of an armed militia in southern Gaza, claimed his group is distributing food and humanitarian supplies to hundreds of families. Hamas, however, accused its men of looting aid convoys.
In response to Wednesday’s deadly attack, the Gaza transport union said it was halting all aid deliveries to protect drivers’ lives and safeguard property. The union condemned the incident as the most serious in a string of assaults on humanitarian operations and called on the international community and the United Nations to take responsibility for securing supply routes and protecting aid workers. The union also demanded that local authorities enforce the law and bring those responsible to justice without compromise.
The union's statement concluded with an appeal for national unity in defense of humanitarian aid and its safe delivery to those in need, emphasizing that these criminal acts do not reflect the values of the "resilient people of Gaza" and constitute a betrayal of humanitarian principles.
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Amid repeated attempts by Hamas and other groups to raid and loot aid convoys, the American humanitarian aid organization GHF (Gaza Humanitarian Foundation) announced overnight it would delay the opening of its distribution centers for a second consecutive day. In a Facebook post, the organization cited “maintenance and repair work” as the reason for not opening its sites Thursday morning as planned.
However, by midday Thursday, GHF announced it had opened two of its four planned centers—one in the Tel al-Sultan area and the other at a new site in the Saudi neighborhood. The organization urged Gaza residents to consult the attached maps to locate the sites and clarified that each family is entitled to receive only one box of aid.
The GHF began operations in the Gaza Strip about ten days ago, introducing a new system intended to prevent Hamas from seizing the aid. Still, the launch has faced significant challenges. On its first day, crowds stormed the Rafah distribution site and looted all available supplies. In recent days, there have also been repeated reports of IDF fire near the distribution zones, alongside alleged attempts by the militant group to disrupt the organization’s efforts and prevent Gaza residents from accessing the aid.