ISIS is looting Khan Yunis and Rafah in collaboration with Israel

According to local sources, these gangs operate in areas controlled by Israeli soldiers and receive passive or active protection from Israel.

Hamas operation against looting of humanitarian aid

In the wake of more than a year of brutal Israeli attacks, the Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip is facing new threats. Some criminal gangs have started looting humanitarian aid that is already struggling. According to El-Araby el-Jadeed newspaper, the operation was carried out by Hamas' "Sahm" security unit in the southern Gaza region, in the cities of Khan Yunus and Rafah.

The operation targeted two criminal groups that confiscated humanitarian aid and sold it at inflated prices. 20 armed members of these groups were neutralized in the operation carried out in cooperation with local tribes. Hamas officials said that before the start of the operation, it was established that the criminal groups were in contact with the Israeli military.

The groups' ties to the Israeli military

According to local sources, these groups were operating in the territory of the "Kerem Shalom" checkpoint, located in the southeast of the Gaza Strip. This checkpoint is one of the few that the Israeli army occasionally allows humanitarian aid to pass through. According to reports, the gangs, in coordination with the Israeli military, blocked the path of the aid convoys.

Israeli army and gang protection

Israel has previously said that Hamas is embezzling humanitarian aid. However, according to the Washington Post, two of the leaders of these criminal groups - Yasir Abu Sabab and Shadi al-Sufi - are linked to ISIS and wanted even before the conflict in Gaza.

These two leaders have more than 200 armed supporters. They are located in the territory of the Kerem Shalom checkpoint under the control of Israel, and have been attacking humanitarian convoys. According to UN documents cited by the newspaper, the groups operated "under the passive or active protection of Israel."

Operation Hamas

It has not yet been confirmed whether there are leaders of ISIS-affiliated groups among those neutralized. However, the sources said the operation was successful and significantly weakened the activities of criminal groups in southern Gaza.

Despite the dire situation in the region and constant Israeli attacks, Hamas continues its efforts against the looting of humanitarian aid.