A leader of a criminal gang linked to the Daesh terrorist group loots the limited aid convoys entering Gaza amid a severe humanitarian crisis.
As reported by the Quds News Network news agency, Yasser Abu Shabab and his gunmen are in the area under the pretext of “securing aid,” wearing uniforms and claiming to safeguard the limited humanitarian assistance entering the besieged enclave.
The group has been intercepting humanitarian aid trucks in eastern Rafah under the protection of Israeli forces, facilitating large-scale looting and sabotage of relief efforts in Gaza, the report said.
“The gang's activities, coordinated with the Israeli military, have contributed to worsening humanitarian conditions, particularly in areas facing severe food shortages,” it stressed.
The report stressed that Abu Shabab had “established a fortified base in an Israeli-controlled area in Rafah,” routinely looting aid convoys, especially in areas such as eastern Rafah and the Karem Abu Salem border crossing.
International media, including the U.S. daily The Washington Post and the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, have also confirmed reports that Abu Shabab gangs are affiliated with Daesh and operate under the backing of Zionist forces.
Citing witnesses and internal UN memos, these newspapers note that Abu Shabab men are involved in the looting of aid convoys and were often seen near Israeli military positions, without the occupation forces intervening or preventing the theft.
“The gunmen beat the drivers and take all the food if they don't pay them [protection money],” Haaretz relates.
Meanwhile, other media outlets report the Israeli regime's systematic targeting of Palestinian police and security officers assigned to protect aid deliveries.
“While Israel allows and facilitates the looting, its propaganda blames HAMAS for stealing aid, deflecting responsibility and masking its own role in orchestrating the chaos and famine in Gaza,” they denounce.
Some 31 aid trucks passed through the main traffic circle on Salah Adin Street near Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip last Tuesday, but Abu Shabab gangs opened fire on the convoy, attempting to seize desperately needed supplies.
According to local reports, a group of Palestinian security officers intervened to stop the attack, but Israeli forces turned on them, killing six officers as they attempted to protect the aid.
The Gaza Government Media Office said in a statement that occupation forces launched eight attacks on security guards protecting the aid.
Abu Shabab, which has a history of drug trafficking and collaboration with extremist groups, seized a gas truck in Gaza last year and set it on fire to block roads and prevent aid deliveries.
The Zionist regime on Sunday allowed a small number of aid trucks into the Gaza Strip after imposing a total siege on March 2, following international pressure and widespread condemnation, as the Palestinian territory faces imminent famine.