Gaza Faces Famine, Agencies Sound Alarm, But Yahya Sinwar Thinks He has Israel by the Shorthairs

As Gaza teeters on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe, the role of Hamas in the intensification of the crisis has come under increasing scrutiny. Amidst the chaos, accusations surface that Hamas is exacerbating the suffering of Gazans, prioritizing military objectives over civilian needs. It all came to a head this morning as thousands of hungry Gazans converged on arriving aid trucks, causing a mad stampede.

According to an initial IDF probe, most casualties were a result of trampling and being struck by the aid trucks, which tried in some cases to escape from the mobs. The incident accurred around 4 a.m., as some 30 trucks carrying humanitarian aid arrived on the coastal road of Gaza City, delivering food to the once-swanky Rimal neighborhood. Now, thanks to Hamas, it is largely rubble.

Thousands of Palestinians rushed toward the trucks after they passed an IDF checkpoint, causing a stampede. Dozens of Palestinians were trampled by people and truck. Hamas gunmen reported opened fired on the crowds as well. Dozens were killed and hundreds wounded, some after being run over by the trucks, according to the probe. The IDF was not involved at this stage.

Later the IDF acknowledged opening fire in instances where the mob turned against Israeli soldiers in nearby positions.

The event unfolds against a backdrop of severe food shortages, rampant disease, and the crippling effects of an Israeli blockade intensified in response to Hamas’s actions. In recent weeks and days, Hamas has beein accused of hoarding supplies and selling what remains at greatly inflated prices.

A Wall Street Journal report cited a meeting of Hamas officials in Gaza, expressing war at the deteriorating situation. Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader, reassures those assembled that he has Israel just where he wants them, getting held to blame for civilian suffering. As bumbling Biden, ice cream cone in hand, opinies on the fate of the hostages and Israel’s survival depending on following American diktats, Sinwar may well have a point.

Well let’s clear this piece of bullshit up right here and now.

Not one of these people have a single bullet wound. These civilians attacked the aid convoy in the thousands and the trucks rode over them as well as many trampled over each other.

How do I know this? Because… https://t.co/hlCfkD7c7L pic.twitter.com/KIy2lnifVE

— Cheryl E 🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱 (@CherylWroteIt) February 29, 2024

The chaos in Gaza led on Leap Day to a stampede in which hungry Gazans near Gaza City’s coastal road descended on aid trucks, pulling them off and stealing them, despite gunshots aimed at deterring food theft and because troops felt threatened by the milling mobs, according to the IDF. Aerial images revealed a chaotic scene resembling maddened ants mobbing food sources. Hamas reported 104 dead, unconfirmed. International media put the toll lower, reporting dozens dead and hundreds injured.

The IDF said that it shot as the legs of the rioters. The army spokesman said that troops also felt threatened by crowds which turned on them.

The population of Gaza facing severe hunger, struggling for food and drinkable water. The situation is dire, with children under five at high risk of severe malnutrition​​.

In the midst of these challenges, the World Food Programme (WFP) and other humanitarian organizations are fighting to deliver aid. However, the distribution of this aid is hampered by access restrictions, particularly in northern Gaza, where conditions are dire​​​​. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the WFP have reported difficulties in reaching those in need due to the ongoing conflict and logistical challenges.

Israeli officials assert that aid entering Gaza is either stolen by Hamas or not distributed efficiently, a claim that raises questions about the effectiveness of relief efforts and the role of Hamas in the crisis​​.