Gazans confirm Hamas shot at them to sabotage humanitarian aid efforts

Gazan civilian on Hamas: “I swear to you, they’re criminals, like ISIS.”

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Gazan civilians confirmed that it was Hamas, not the IDF, that fired on them while they were seeking humanitarian aid.

The IDF and COGAT (Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories) have obtained recordings of civilians testifying that Hamas is intentionally obstructing efforts to transfer humanitarian aid.

The terror organization has fired at civilians on the way to receive aid, as well as IDF soldiers at distribution points.

Hamas has also told civilians that there are massive casualties at these distribution points as a way to discourage them from collecting aid.

“The ones who fired shots were Hamas terrorists. They don’t want the people to receive aid; they want to thwart the plan so they can get the aid, so they can steal it,” one civilian said on the recording.

“Hamas is a cruel and murderous terrorist organization starving the residents of Gaza,” the IDF stated.

“They are doing everything they can to sabotage the distribution of food in the Gaza Strip,” it added.

They refuted claims made by the Hamas Health Ministry and picked up by major media outlets that the IDF shot at and killed 31 Gazan civilians on Sunday.

“There were injured people, yes, seven, maybe eight dead. Not 30, and not 50,” the resident told the COGAT officer.

“They live on the aid… they want aid to come in through the United Nations and international organizations so they can steal it… I swear to you, they’re criminals, like ISIS.”

Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas admitted that Hamas was stealing humanitarian aid from Gazan civilians.

In an official statement, Abbas condemned the “looting and theft carried out by criminal gangs targeting warehouses and storage facilities of humanitarian aid.”

According to the PA, “Hamas-affiliated gangs” have been “primarily responsible” for the theft.

Abbas added that Palestinians would “not forgive these disgraceful acts committed in such a critical time.”