Jakarta, IO – A group of Israeli settlers attacked and stomped on aid packages destined for Gaza, a viral footage showed. Among the packages were boxes of Indomie-branded instant noodle.
According to a report by Reuters, the attack was carried out by a group calling themselves Tzav 9 (Order 9) and they have claimed responsibility, saying that it was done to prevent the food supplies from reaching Hamas, the Palestinian militant group behind the 7 October attack against Israeli civilians and hostage taking.
According to them, as long as Hamas can still control the distribution of aid in the Gaza Strip, the group will not be interested in a deal to free more than 100 hostages. At least four protesters, including a minor, were arrested at the Tarqumiya checkpoint, west of Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Four people were also detained during a similar protest the week before.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi in her statement assessed that there were “systematic efforts” to hinder humanitarian aid for Gaza. “We are concerned that humanitarian aid entering Gaza is being obstructed from time to time. Most recently it was looted, yes, in front of Israeli authorities. And this has happened time and again,” she said at the Bogor Presidential Palace, Friday (17/5).
Retno said the Indonesian government strongly condemned the actions and urged that the perpetrators be prosecuted to create a deterrent effect. “The humanitarian aid is badly needed by the people of Gaza. The perpetrators should be dealt with to prevent this from happening again,” she said.
The government has contacted the UN Security Council to discuss measures to provide security on aid delivery. “We have conveyed to the UN Security Council that security assistance should be a priority and that there should be no hindrance on aid distribution,” she said.
Meanwhile, the US, Israel’s closest ally, also condemned the actions. The White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan issued strongly-worded statement: “It is a total outrage that there are people who are attacking and looting these convoys. It is completely and utterly unaccept able behavior.”
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The US State Department says it takes the strong view that aid convoys cannot and should not be interfered with. “We’re looking at the tools that we have to respond to this,” Sullivan said, per The Times of Israel, Tue (14/5). “We are also raising our concerns at the highest level of the Israeli government.”
Israel’s war on Gaza war has created a humanitarian crisis in the enclave, with food, water, fuel, and medicine supplies running dangerously low. The UN and aid agencies have warned that half of Gaza’s population is at risk of starvation. (dbs/*)