On Thursday’s broadcast of NPR’s “All Things Considered,” NPR International Correspondent Aya Batrawy stated that a lot of the aid in Gaza is “being stolen by gangs” and some of the looters were “known criminals before the war,” but Israel “hasn’t taken action against looting in areas of its control.”
Batrawy said that “much of” the aid is “being stolen by gangs in areas under Israeli watch.”
She then discussed a looting incident from earlier and stated, “The looters, some of them known criminals before the war, have become organized gangs, armed with assault rifles and knives.”
Batrawy added, “Israel’s military did not answer NPR’s questions on why it hasn’t taken action against looting in areas of its control.”
She further stated, “Israeli officials say any restrictions on aid are to prevent Hamas from benefiting, and that Hamas — whose leaders are also wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes — is behind the looting. But just days after the U.N. convoy was attacked, Hamas security forces killed around 20 of the suspected looters.”
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