US Special Envoy Confirms There Is No Evidence Of Hamas Rebut Assistance For Gaza

Illustration of Gaza's condition (UnICEF / Eyad El Baba / PHOTO via news.un.org

JAKARTA - "There is no evidence" that the Hamas group is taking aid into the Gaza Strip for themselves as Israel fears," said the US special envoy for Middle Eastern humanitarian affairs, David Satterfield on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters in Amman, Jordan, Satterfield said "there was no visible attempt from Hamas to seize aid trucks."

He stressed that the fuel from the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) in Gaza was "used for aid trucks, water desalination, and hospitals."

"There is no evidence that Hamas seized or prevented the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip," Satterfield said, quoting Antara, Sunday.

He also revealed that there was a mechanism approved by all parties to bring fuel to the Gaza Strip when it was stopped.

This week it was reported that several hospitals in Gaza were forced to close due to a shortage of fuel, electricity, and other important supplies.

This week also Israeli soldiers expanded air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip which have been continuously hit by airstrikes since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7.

Nearly 11,000 people have died in the conflict, including 9,488 Palestinians and more than 1,538 Israelis.

Despite still cutting off electricity, fuel, and water supplies to Gaza, Israel this week allowed little humanitarian aid to enter, but the number is far less than the number needed by the 2.3 million Gazans to survive.