EU official condemns surge in Israeli extremist attacks on humanitarian aid convoys bound for Gaza

05/16/2024 / By Richard Brown

European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell has condemned the surge in attacks on humanitarian aid convoys heading into Gaza by Israeli “extremists.”

These incidents have escalated following Israel’s recent offensive on the southern Gazan city of Rafah, where over a million Palestinians have been displaced and where lies the Gaza Strip’s only border crossing with Egypt.

Borrell expressed his indignation via X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, May 14, emphasizing the urgent need for action to address the plight of hundreds of thousands of starving civilians in Gaza. (Related: Israel has attacked hundreds of humanitarian sites and aid convoys in Gaza since the war erupted.)

He urged Israeli authorities to intervene decisively to stop these attacks and ensure that those responsible are held accountable. Borrell’s condemnation echoed the sentiments expressed by United States National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan during a White House press briefing on the previous day wherein he unequivocally denounced the attacks.

“It is a total outrage that there are people who are attacking and looting these convoys coming from Jordan going to Gaza to deliver humanitarian assistance,” Sullivan said. “It’s something we make no bones about – we find it completely and utterly unacceptable.”

Mobs of Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank attacking aid trucks

On Monday, May 13, scores of Israeli extremists in the occupied West Bank deliberately blocked relief trucks and destroyed aid destined for Gazans, in the latest in a series of attacks on aid convoys meant for desperate Palestinians in the war-hit enclave.

Video footage online showed the Israelis damaging boxes of food and throwing their contents on the road, as they sought to prevent aid from reaching Gaza. Other footage showed spilled flour, rice and sugar on the ground, with trucks visibly vandalized.

Four people, including a minor, were reportedly arrested, Israeli media reported. Two trucks were set ablaze later after police left the scenes following the arrests.

The aid convoys came from Jordan through the Tarqumiya checkpoint, west of Hebron in the occupied West Bank.

The individuals responsible for Monday’s convoy attacks were identified as members of the extremist Tzav 9 group, an organization that says it seeks to halt aid deliveries to Gaza “as Israeli hostages are still held” in the territory. The group had previously blocked and sabotaged aid trucks headed towards Gaza several times this month.

Since the start of the deadly Israeli military onslaught over seven months ago, far-right Israeli activists have attempted to prevent aid convoys from reaching Gaza, where a dire humanitarian crisis has been unfolding as a result of Israel’s military onslaught.

In recent weeks, aid has sporadically trickled into the territory, with Amman beginning to send relief trucks since the start of May. Aid deliveries through the vital Karam Abu Salem crossing have proved challenging due to Israeli protesters blocking the entry of relief, as well as the dangerous security situation in the area.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire, with basic necessities becoming increasingly scarce, particularly in the southernmost city of Rafah where 1.4 million Palestinians have sought refuge. Over the months, multiple United Nations agencies have warned of a looming famine in northern parts of the Gaza Strip.

Watch this clip of Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank attacking Jordanian trucks filled with humanitarian aid on their way to the Gaza Strip.

This video is from the Cynthia’s Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.