In an official statement, Avihay Adraee, the IDF spokesman in Arabic, disclosed a concerning revelation on Tuesday morning. It has come to light that Hamas has stockpiled a substantial quantity of fuel, concealing this information from the residents of Gaza.
Adraee described the situation, stating, "What you see here is over half a million liters of diesel fuel under the control of Hamas near the Rafah crossing. Shockingly, despite their claims to the contrary, the terrorist organization continues to deny vital fuel supplies to hospitals, bakeries, and the general populace. Instead, Hamas-ISIS, diverts diesel fuel meant for the citizens towards tunnels, missile launchers, and high-ranking officials. This exposes the true priorities of Hamas."
#عاجل #خاص هكذا يبدو أكثر من نصف مليون لتر من السولار الموجود بحوزة حماس إلى جانب #معبر_رفح وهي تتمادى في إطلاق مزاعمها بعدم قدرتها على تزويد المستشفيات والمخابز والمدنيين بالوقود. #دواعش_حماس يسرقون هذا السولار من المدنيين وينقلونه إلى أنفاقهم وقاذفاتهم وقادتهم.
— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) October 24, 2023
هكذا يبدو سلم… pic.twitter.com/PJJZgZXcck
He went on to address the residents of Gaza, urging them not to direct their demands towards Israel. He asserted, "Your grievances should be directed at figures like Sinwar (Baghdadi), Deif, and other senior Hamas officials who have led Gaza to the brink."
This revelation follows closely on the heels of reports from UNRWA employees stationed in Gaza, the United Nations relief and employment agency for Palestinian refugees. These employees reported to their central headquarters in Amman, Jordan, that members of Hamas had pilfered diesel fuel, fuel, and medical supplies intended for the benefit of Gaza's residents.
According to the UNRWA report, Hamas members managed to infiltrate the agency's compounds on two separate occasions. Their first infiltration involved impersonating agency employees, while the second theft occurred when UNRWA staff were forced to evacuate their headquarters in Gaza City. The stolen goods include a substantial 36,000 liters of fuel. Israeli security officials have stated that Hamas utilizes this stolen diesel fuel for military purposes and to power generators in their underground hideouts. Hamas maintains an extensive network of tunnels, stretching for hundreds of kilometers throughout the Gaza Strip.
Additionally, it was reported that security cameras covering the entrance and exit of the compound had been damaged during the fighting even before the evacuation, rendering them inoperative. UNRWA emphasized that "the agency's fuel and other equipment are intended solely for humanitarian purposes, and any other use of them is strictly prohibited."
Take a look. 👀
— Arsen Ostrovsky (@Ostrov_A) October 24, 2023
Near the Rafah border crossing, Hamas owns fuel tanks, containing hundreds of thousands of liters of fuel.
Please refer the ones complaining about no fuel in Gaza to Hamas.#BlameHamaspic.twitter.com/zMKITurAgQ
Overall, since the outset of the conflict, Israel has cut off the Gaza Strip from fuel and water supplies. Israel's Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Israel Katz, issued an immediate halt to water supplies from Israel to the Gaza Strip approximately 48 hours into the war, proclaiming, "What was will not be."
The minister also issued an order instructing the electric company to cease the supply of electricity to the Palestinian Authority in the Gaza Strip. Katz underscored his decision, stating, "I have signed the order instructing the electric company to halt the supply of electricity to the Gaza Strip."
