Israelis have been protesting by trying to prevent “humanitarian aid” from entering Gaza. Dozens of people arrived at the Nitzana Crossing between Israel and Egypt on Friday morning to block a convoy of trucks from entering Gaza.
“The hundreds of aid and supply trucks for the Hamas terrorist organization will not enter through here today,” read a statement from Tzav 9, a group organizing the protests.
“We are proud and moved that the determination of the people is winning. No aid enters until the last of the hostages returns.”
This follows a similar protest on Tuesday that succeeded in stopping a convoy of 132 aid trucks at the Kerem Shalom Crossing between Israel and Egypt. The protests began two and a half weeks ago
“It is impossible, on the one hand, to fight Hamas to return the hostages and, on the other hand, to send it food and fuel,” Rachel Touitou, a spokeswoman for Tzav 9 (“Order 9”), the group behind the protests, told JNS. “We cannot both fight Hamas and feed it.”
Israeli opposition to humanitarian aid for Gaza is growing. A recent Channel 12 survey found 72% of the public oppose allowing aid to enter as most, if not all, ends up in the hands of Hamas, aiding them in the war against Israel.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly told a Likud faction meeting, “I have asked to examine the suspension of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip to prevent it from reaching Hamas, I asked the IDF to present alternatives to this as quickly as possible.” The Prime Minister’s Office would not confirm to JNS the accuracy of the report.
Among the protesters is Yehuda Dee, whose mother Lucy and sisters Rina and Maia were murdered in an April terror attack, who was one of eighteen people arrested by Israeli police for taking part in a protest.
“I am proud of my son,” Dee said in an interview with Now14. “He is only 15 years old and he hitchhiked all the way there. He did everything he could for the hostages and their families. I am proud of him for doing something to support them.”
“The situation in Gaza is complex,” Rabbi Dee explained. “On the one hand, there are children and adults there who need help, but on the other hand, this humanitarian aid might be preventing us from bringing the hostages home. Maybe these people will be able to cause a revolution and collapse the Hamas regime and then they will have to return the hostages. Our government might be missing an important opportunity.”
“I can understand why people go to protests, they are doing everything they can to stop sending humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip and to support the families of the hostages,” he emphasized.
