In a world where some believe that the most basic human rights are self-evident and should never be violated, we find that these rights are being stolen and plundered in broad daylight. It is not enough that innocence is being killed and childhood has been stolen in Gaza; another crime is added to this— the theft of humanitarian aid. In this besieged enclave, the Zionist war machine uses hunger as a method of warfare, depriving people of the most basic means that would help them stay alive. While the number of children suffering from malnutrition continues to rise, so does the audacity of coordinating with gangs aimed at stealing what little hope remains.

The Government Media Office in Gaza reported on Monday evening that “the occupation is coordinating with local gangs to steal the ‘scarce’ aid reaching the Gaza Strip amid the worsening famine and the rising number of children suffering from malnutrition, which has reached thousands.”

The Director General of the Government Media Office, Ismail al-Thawabteh, stated in his remarks, “The escalating famine in the Gaza Strip, especially in the north, has led to the deaths of many people, though no specific number was mentioned.” He confirmed, “Thousands of children in the Gaza Strip have suffered from malnutrition due to the famine, while 3,500 children under the age of five are suffering due to the blockade on the entry of infant formula and therapeutic milk.”

Al-Thawabteh also pointed out that “3,500 children under the age of five are severely affected because the occupation has prevented the entry of infant formula, therapeutic milk, and nutritional supplements.” He added that thousands of children in Gaza, particularly in the northern governorates, have been affected by malnutrition.

The government official in Gaza said, “Between 10 and 30 trucks of aid are allowed into the Gaza Strip every day, and the occupation photographs these shipments and promotes them to the world, misleading the public opinion that they are bringing in aid, while, behind the scenes, they are coordinating with unlawful gangs to facilitate the theft of this aid.”

He noted, “The theft of goods and aid trucks intended for traders and Palestinians by unlawful gangs operating in southern Gaza not only insults the steadfast people and their sacrifices but also exacerbates the dire conditions for the displaced.”

He clarified that “the behavior of these gangs aligns with and complements the objectives of the occupation and its aggressive policies against our Palestinian people.”

What is happening in Gaza is not just the theft of aid; it is a systematic process to steal the hope from the eyes of our steadfast Palestinian people, transforming them into a nation devoid of identity and rights. It is not only the theft of food and medicine, but the hunger and thirst of the soul. Every stolen truck of aid, and every child suffering from hunger, is part of a larger attempt to destroy the dignity of this people and force them to abandon their identity and history under the pressure of continuous suffering.