Several Palestinian aid-truck drivers—with permission to enter Israel—have been arrested in recent weeks on suspicion of belonging to terrorist groups such as Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Israel’s Army Radio reported on Thursday.
All aid drivers undergo a security review before being approved to enter Israel. However, according to Galei Tzahal correspondent Doron Kadosh, Israel’s defense establishment has recently discovered that a few of the cleared drivers have terrorist backgrounds.
One truck driver apprehended in the Kerem Shalom Crossing area is suspected to be the father of a terrorist who abducted Israelis during the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, according to the report.
Another truck driver, arrested in the same area, turned out to be a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine released in one of the ceasefires in the current war, the report added. The suspect, who was not cleared to enter the Kerem Shalom area, told Israeli troops he had “gotten lost.”
A third aid truck driver was later identified as a Hamas operative, according to the report.
The Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) did not respond to a request for comment.
The Israel Defense Forces Spokesperson’s Unit was quoted as saying that aid drivers will be arrested if found to be affiliated with a terrorist organization.
“Recently, drivers connected to terrorist organizations have been arrested, and this will continue in the future whenever relevant intelligence information is available,” the IDF added.
A Hebrew University study released on Tuesday found that humanitarian aid intended to alleviate suffering in war zones often ends up prolonging the very conflicts it seeks to address.
According to the study, aid diversion in various protracted conflicts—including in Somalia, Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Sudan, Ethiopia and Gaza—through theft, taxation, or the manipulation of contracts and beneficiary lists—is a “common and often expected” part of operations.
“In many cases, aid reaches those in need only after sustaining armed groups, corrupt officials, or political elites,” according to Hebrew University professor Barak-Corren. “The oppressive regimes use humanitarian aid to fuel and sustain their aggressions.”
The study notes that Hamas has staffed nearly half of UNRWA jobs in Gaza with its loyalists and imposed a 20-25% tax on aid deliveries.
