Hamas Victimizing Palestinian Civilians Again

"At least five fatalities, multiple injuries and fear that some of our team members may have been taken hostage." 

"We condemn this heinous and deliberate attack in the strongest possible terms. These were aid workers. Humanitarians. Fathers, brothers, sons and friends who were risking their lives every day to  help others."

"Our hearts are broken and our thoughts and prayers are with every victim, every family and every person still unaccounted for."

"We call on the international community to immediately condemn Hamas for this unprovoked attack and continued threat against our people simply trying to feed the Palestinian people."

Gaza Humanitarian Foundation statement 

 

"[Our forces have] full authority and mandate to strike decisively against any entity or individual collaborating with the enemy’s plans or with any rogue, criminal, or traitorous elements that violate the law and the traditions of our people."

"All agents, thieves, and armed criminal gangs are considered legitimate targets for the resistance and its security apparatus."

Hamas media 

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation says at least five of its workers were killed and some are feared to be taken hostage following an attack by Hamas terrorists on Wednesday night. Photo by EYAD BABA /AFP via Getty Images

A bus carrying some two dozen members of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation team in the Gaza Strip was attacked by Hamas. Local Palestinians working alongside with the U.S. GHF team were travelling to one of the U.S.-backed aid group's distribution centres located west of Khan Younis, when the strike took place on Wednesday morning, according to the foundation. 

 

Independent of the United Nations, the group has been establishing aid depots at various points in the Gaza Strip in a determined effort to deliver food aid to Palestinian civilians, in a marked purpose to ensure that Hamas has no opportunity as it did formerly, to divert much of the humanitarian aid from the civilian population to their warehouses for their own use, and for sale on the black market at astronomical prices. 

 

The Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, expressed his frustration and that of the Israeli administration at the continued threats and violence levelled by Hamas toward the humanitarian group and toward Palestinian civilians who travel to the depots to take advantage of the aid, infuriating Hamas, which sees its authority flouted and its source of additional income and supplies being thwarted.  

"This attack did not happen in a vacuum. For days, Hamas has openly threatened our team, our aid workers, and the civilians who receive aid from us."

"These threats were met with silence [from the international community]."

"The GHF is committed to helping the wounded and the families of the deceased and injured. We are working through many channels to transfer the injured from the hospital in Khan Younis to facilities with more robust capabilities."

"Parties holding the remains of the deceased [are called on] to immediately release them to their families. [We will continue] delivering food aid to the people of Gaza after this tragedy."

Gaza Humanitarian Foundation  

David May, research manager, and senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, wryly observed: "The perverse incentives of the international community will punish the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation for having its staff murdered, and reward Hamas for doing the murdering". His colleague at the organization, CEO Mark Dubowitz had this to add: "Hamas killing Palestinians working to deliver aid to Palestinians. Will this get reported? Don't hold  your breath."  

"The Hamas terrorist regime has zero care for Israelis and, as we continue to see, has  zero care for the people of Gaza."

"It's why they launch terrorist attacks from urban settings and civilian infrastructure."

"We are monitoring closely concerning reports of Hamas once again doing whatever it can to thwart humanitarian distribution efforts." 

Danny Danon, Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations  

People transport relief supplies on a cart from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) in the central Gaza Strip on Sunday. Photo by EYAD BABA /AFP via Getty Images