'False' claims by NGOs ignore Hamas's role in aid diversion, Israel says

Tel Aviv [Israel], August 14 (ANI/TPS): Israel rejected accusations from more than 100 international aid organisations that it is blocking humanitarian assistance to Gaza, insisting it facilitates deliveries while Hamas seeks to exploit them. The allegations, made in a joint statement Thursday, claim many groups have been unable to deliver aid since March, when Israel introduced a new registration system requiring security vetting for Palestinian employees.

The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), the Israeli body overseeing the transfer of goods into Gaza, called the claims "false," insisting that Israel facilitates aid entry while Hamas exploits the situation "to build military strength and tighten its control over the population." COGAT alleged that Hamas operates "under the cover of certain international aid organisations, whether knowingly or unknowingly."

COGAT said the new mechanism was developed in accordance with political directives to ensure humanitarian supplies reach civilians rather than Hamas.

Under the system, organisations must register and submit the names of their Gaza-based staff for prior security screening. "It is a transparent, clear process that was presented to all organisations in advance," COGAT said, adding that the requirements are based on "clear professional and security criteria" meant to safeguard humanitarian operations from terrorist infiltration.

According to COGAT, nearly 20 international organisations have complied with the new procedures and are delivering aid to Gaza "regularly and in full cooperation with Israel." The agency said that about 300 truckloads of humanitarian goods enter Gaza daily through registered groups.

The refusal of some organisations to share the required staff lists, COGAT argued, "raises serious concerns about their intentions and the possibility of links between the organisation or its employees and Hamas." The agency insisted that any delays in aid delivery occur "only when organizations choose not to meet the security requirements intended to prevent Hamas involvement."

COGAT dismissed the assertion that Israel is obstructing aid as "entirely the opposite of reality," and called on all humanitarian groups "to act transparently, complete the registration, and ensure the aid reaches residents, not Hamas."

A special report by The Press Service of Israel in July found that, according to the UN's own numbers, a staggering 85% of the aid entering the Gaza Strip by truck since May 19 has been stolen. The investigation found that a combination of black market profiteers and inflation has made much of the aid in Gaza markets unaffordable for most Palestinians.

Separately, an academic study released by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem on Tuesday found that humanitarian aid intended to alleviate suffering in war zones often ends up prolonging the very conflicts it seeks to address.

An examination of prolonged conflicts in Somalia, Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Sudan, Ethiopia, and Gaza by Hebrew University law professor Netta Barak-Corren and Dr. Jonathan Boxman concluded that aid diversion is not a rare mishap but a systemic feature of the current humanitarian system.

The study drew on United Nations reports, NGO records, and investigative accounts, documenting how humanitarian agencies often strike informal agreements with local power brokers or armed factions to maintain access. These deals, the authors argue, sometimes contradict the core humanitarian principles of neutrality, impartiality, and independence, but are tolerated to keep aid flowing and operations funded.

Approximately 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas's attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 50 remaining hostages, around 30 are believed to be dead. (ANI/TPS)

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