Photo: Abdel Kareem Hana/ AP
In the Gaza Strip, Hamas has publicly executed several people accused of looting warehouses with food and humanitarian aid. Reuters reports this with reference to Palestinian and international sources.
The group claimed that some of the perpetrators of the raids were acting under the cover of armed clans, and even received support from Israel, which, according to Hamas, deliberately blocks humanitarian supplies.
In one case, an Israeli drone attacked a Hamas patrol, killing one policeman who was pursuing the suspects. Nevertheless, Hamas said it would not allow criminals to “terrorise the people” and would impose a curfew after 9pm.
The Hamas Ministry of Interior has announced the creation of a 5,000-strong special unit to combat looting, but its activities are hampered by drone attacks on any armed group in the region.
Meanwhile, the UN warns of an escalating humanitarian catastrophe: millions of people are left without food, water and medicine.
“These gangs are stealing everything from food to phones. It’s not a war anymore, it’s chaos,” said Ahmed, a resident of Gaza.
