Hamas terrorists opened fire on Gaza civilians attempting to collect humanitarian aid that has been making its way to the southern part of the coastal enclave, according to footage published on social media on Sunday.
The looters were filmed fleeing with bags of flour on their backs against the sound of gunshots, as the Hamas operatives tried to seize control of the trucks, Israel’s Channel 12 News broadcaster reported.
המוני עזתים שודדים משאיות סיוע שהגיעו לאזור א-סראיא במרכז העיר עזה.
— חננאל אביב ◇ حننئيل أبيب (@h3976a) May 25, 2025
מחבלי חמאס חמושים ובני חמולות חמושים הגיעו למקום וביצעו ירי הרחקה לעברם במטרה למנוע את השדידה, ולשדוד את המשאיות בעצמם. pic.twitter.com/W44PMEoXws
The launch of a new U.S.-supported aid distribution network, intended to bypass Hamas and alleviate the humanitarian situation in Gaza, has been delayed amid ongoing looting, logistical setbacks and other last-minute complications, officials in Jerusalem said on Saturday.
Israel had hoped the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a new American-run operation with Israeli support, would begin distributing aid supplies directly to Palestinians as early as Saturday. However, the opening of the group’s distribution centers has been pushed off to Monday or Tuesday.
A senior Israeli security source familiar with the details told Channel 12 News on Sunday that “it is possible that among those who arrive [to the aid depots], there will also be Hamas members.” He added, “The main thing is that Hamas does not take control of the aid and doesn’t sell it.”
According to data gathered by the Israel Defense Forces Southern Command and revealed by Army Radio on May 18, every aid truck that enters the Strip and is taken over by Hamas pays for the monthly salaries of an entire terror brigade.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told journalists during a press conference last week that Hamas “shoots Palestinian civilians who want to leave for safe zones, and it shoots Palestinian civilians who want to prevent Hamas terrorists from looting the aid trucks intended for them.”
“Since Oct. 7, Israel has sent 92,000 aid trucks into Gaza,” stated the Israeli leader, adding: “As we had let the aid come in, Hamas stole it. They took a huge chunk for themselves. The rest they sold at exorbitant prices to the Palestinian population. And then they used the money they stole to recruit new terrorists to continue their war against Israel.”
“Our goal from the start was to get food to Palestinian civilians, not to Palestinian terrorists,” Netanyahu declared, emphasizing that around 10% of the aid trucks to have entered Gaza in recent days have been taken over by Hamas.
