Four individuals were killed in Gaza amid allegations of aid theft, according to statements made by Hamas.

 

Hamas-affiliated forces have executed four people accused of looting aid trucks that have recently begun entering Gaza. In the incident, an influential clan leader in southern Gaza has publicly challenged Hamas.

This was claimed in a report published on Monday by Reuters.

The British media reported, citing a source close to the incident, that the four were accused of involvement in an incident that took place last week. In the incident, six Gaza security personnel were killed in an Israeli air strike while protecting an aid truck.

The source said, “The four criminals were involved in looting and are responsible for the deaths of members of the forces assigned to protect the aid.”

A Hamas-affiliated front group that describes itself as a “Palestinian resistance organization” said that it is searching for seven more suspects.

Israel partially eased its blockade of Gaza last week under international pressure. As a result, humanitarian aid has begun to enter Gaza for the first time in months. However, looting has become a major problem in the distribution of this relief material.

According to aid agencies, millions of people in Gaza are facing extreme hunger due to the Israeli blockade. And that oppression is forcing people to loot relief. However, Israel blames Hamas for this aid theft, which Hamas has denied as baseless.

According to the Israeli army, the security forces deployed by Hamas are not working to protect the aid, but to receive and control it. Although Israel has not been able to present any evidence to support this accusation.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army has now taken full control of the Rafah region of Gaza. And an influential tribal leader there named Yasser Abu Shabab has openly challenged Hamas' authority.

He claims that an armed group under his leadership is now managing the relief supply in certain areas and that Hamas has no involvement in these activities.

He himself has posted pictures of his group's activities on social media, where they are seen guarding aid trucks.

However, Hamas counters that Abu Shabaab has previously looted international aid and is in contact with the occupying Israelis.

A Hamas security official called Abu Shabaab a "puppet of the occupying Israelis" who are trying to break the internal unity of the Palestinians.

Meanwhile, a Facebook page run by Abu Shabaab has denied Hamas' allegations. It describes him as a "grassroots leader standing up against corruption and looting" who has played a role in guarding aid trucks.

However, when asked by Reuters about this, a spokesman for the UN's humanitarian agency (OCHA) said, "We do not pay anyone to guard aid trucks. We only maintain regular contact with the local people and build trust." "And let's talk to the authorities so that more relief arrives and more entrances are opened."