On October 16, prominent Israeli accounts on social media, such as Avichay Adraee and the Israeli Forces, falsely claimed that Hamas members had stolen fuel and medical supplies from UNRWA warehouses. Subsequently, the official UNRWA account publicly refuted this claim, stating that no recent incidents of looting had occurred in their warehouses.
The Israeli Forces X account alleged that the stolen fuel would be sufficient to operate Gaza's water desalination facilities for a period of six days. Thus, “Hamas does not care about the people of Gaza.”
The Times of Israel also reported the claim in a published article, entitled, “UNRWA indicates Hamas stole supplies from its Gaza premises, then walks back claim.”
UNRWA Removes Post Amid Misrepresentation
UNRWA's official X account deleted the thread shortly after it was misrepresented by Israeli officials. The original post indicated that individuals affiliated with the Ministry of Health in Gaza had taken fuel and medical supplies. However, the agency did not explicitly mention Hamas or any other Palestinian resistance factions, as claimed in Israeli propaganda.
The agency also mentioned that their staff in Gaza were forced to evacuate the headquarters on Friday, October 13. Since then, the agency has had no access to its supplies on the compound. In addition, the security cameras covering the entrance were damaged due to Israeli airstrikes near the headquarters. The equipment and fuel were intended for strictly humanitarian purposes.
UNRWA Refutes the Circulating Rumor
Subsequently, the agency denied the widely circulated rumor from prominent Israeli accounts and confirmed that their warehouses in Gaza had not experienced any instances of looting. The agency also provided clarification that the images shared on social media actually show the transfer of basic medical supplies from the UNRWA warehouse to health partners in the Gaza Strip.
The UNRWA’s post reads, “URGENT CLARIFICATION FROM UNRWA: With regards to reports on social media of looting of an UNRWA warehouse. UNRWA would like to confirm that no looting has taken place in any of its warehouses in the Gaza Strip. [1/2] The images circulating on social media were of a movement of basic medical supplies from the UNRWA warehouse to health partners. [2/2]”
Israel Airstrikes Target UNRWA Warehouse and School in Gaza
On October 16, Israel targeted a humanitarian aid warehouse in southern Gaza, coinciding with the spread of claims by prominent Israeli accounts that Hamas had looted UNRWA warehouses.
On October 17, an Israeli airstrike on a U.N-run school in a refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip resulted in the killing of at least six individuals, as reported by the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency.
The attack on the school located in the al-Maghazi refugee camp has been strongly condemned, with the UNRWA describing it as "outrageous" and an evident disregard for the safety of civilians. The agency further expressed concern that Gaza, including U.N. facilities, is no longer considered a safe haven.
Israel Orders 1.1 Million Gazans to Evacuate South
On October 13, the Israeli military issued an order for the evacuation of all civilians residing in Gaza City and the northern areas of the Gaza Strip in anticipation of a potential ground offensive in the besieged region.
This directive was issued shortly after the United Nations reported that Israel had given them a warning to evacuate 1.1 million people living in the northern part of Gaza within a 24-hour timeframe.
The sweeping evacuation order for the entire northern region of Gaza also extends to all United Nations staff and the hundreds of thousands of individuals who sought refuge in U.N. schools and other facilities after Israel initiated continuous air strikes.
Although Israel asked civilians to seek shelter in South Gaza, they have not stopped bombing civilians and killing them. As people were seeking refuge in the south for safety, an Israeli airstrike targeted a convoy of individuals leaving northern Gaza, resulting in the loss of 70 lives, primarily women and children.
Israel Imposes 'Total' Blockade on Gaza
Israel has declared a "total" blockade on the already besieged Gaza Strip, which includes restrictions on the entry of food and water.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced that measures would also involve cutting off electricity and blocking the supply of food and fuel to impose what they describe as a complete siege on Gaza, a densely populated area home to approximately 2.3 million people.
On October 18, in response to mounting international pressure, the Israeli government announced that it would permit humanitarian aid to enter the blockaded Gaza Strip from Egypt, following a 10-day siege.
President Biden stated that approximately 20 trucks would be granted access through the closed Rafah crossing from Egypt into Gaza starting on Friday. Egypt has reported damage to the crossing area due to Israeli air raids.
This decision comes in the wake of increasing global appeals, including from the United States, for the delivery of humanitarian relief to Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced due to continuous Israeli airstrikes.
On October 21, the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza was opened to allow a limited amount of much-needed aid to reach Palestinians facing shortages of food, medicine, and water in the territory, which has been under Israeli siege. A convoy of 20 aid trucks entered the Gaza Strip from Egypt, carrying essential supplies, as reported by the Hamas.
Israel has repeated that the aid shipments coming into Gaza from Egypt on Saturday will not include fuel. This omission is a significant concern for the population in the besieged enclave and the relief agencies responsible for delivering essential services, as fuel is essential for powering water pumps and generators necessary for operating critical facilities like hospitals.
Israel's Use of Atrocity Propaganda to Justify Heinous Actions
Atrocity propaganda refers to the dissemination of false information, often exaggerating or completely inventing gruesome actions committed by an opponent, with the aim of stirring strong and negative emotional responses among the public.
Throughout the ongoing Israeli aggression on Gaza, Israel has been using its media outlets and social media platforms to spread propaganda and false information, portraying Israel as a nation that highly prioritizes civilian lives and upholds strong ethical standards in its battle against Palestinian resistance factions.
In the recent conflict between Israel and Gaza, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant made a statement, saying, "We are fighting against human animals." This deliberate dehumanization of the Palestinian population justifies the denial of basic human rights to the people in Gaza.
Israel struck a humanitarian aid warehouse and a school in southern Gaza at the same time that prominent Israeli sources were spreading claims of Hamas looting UNRWA warehouses.
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