by Madeleine Hubbard
There has been evidence that Hamas has been stealing the civilian aid, the State Department said.
U.S. and international non-profit agencies are raising money off of the Israel-Hamas war while promoting narratives that often are supportive of Palestinians and critical of Israel.
Though Israel has established areas for refugees in the Gaza Strip and allowed aid in through multiple ports, dozens of major non-profit organizations are urging against an invasion of Rafah, Hamas' final stronghold in the region.
Save the Children, one of the largest international nonprofit groups, asked for donations via text message, stating that a "ground assault in Southern Gaza is forcing hundreds of thousands to flee & hurting aid efforts in Gaza's 'last refuge.' FOR WEEKS, we've been warning there's no feasible evacuation plan to lawfully displace & protect civilians."
The text includes a link to a donation page, which does not mention the approximately 130 people being held hostage by Hamas but does state that Israel "must halt operations in Rafah and open all available land crossings to allow aid to enter."
Doctors without Borders also neglected to mention the hostages in several of its recent updates on Gaza. The group called for an "immediate and sustained ceasefire" on Wednesday while saying it has seen a "pattern of systematic attacks against medical facilities and civilian infrastructure" since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.
On Saturday, Doctors Without Borders USA Executive Director Avril Benoit accused Israel of conducting operations that "continue to maim and kill civilians and block the provision of lifesaving humanitarian aid." While Israel has repeatedly said it attempts to avoid civilian casualties, evidence has indicated that terrorists in the Gaza Strip have repeatedly hit aid delivery areas with rockets and diverted aid from civilians.
Hamas, Palestinians and anti-Israel demonstrators have repeated rhetoric similar to the nonprofits, but Israel and its allies have heavily disputed such claims.
Israel and international experts have said for months that Rafah is Gaza's "last refuge for Hamas," where four battalions of the terrorist organization remain. Israel ordered 100,000 civilians to evacuate Rafah to a tent camp that Israel declared a safe zone equipped with field hospitals and other facilities, The Associated Press reported.
While the Rafah crossing into Egypt is closed, at least two crossings remain open.
The Kerem Shalom crossing briefly closed down last week after Hamas shot rockets at the area. Kerem Shalom, in Gaza's south, and the Erez crossing in Israel's north, are both open and accepting aid trucks, the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories, an Israeli agency, said Thursday.
Two more rockets were launched from southern Rafah toward the Kerem Shalom area on Sunday, but they were intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system, Israel's military said.
Meanwhile, the first aid shipment was sent to the U.S.-built floating pier off the coast of Gaza on Thursday, one day after Hamas launched mortar shells at the area.
Other charity organizations have been even more severe in their criticism of Israel.
Save the Children's U.K. branch signed onto a letter with 31 other organizations, including Mercy Corps Europe, International Rescue Committee UK, Oxfam and others, that said government leaders have warned Israel to "not unleash a slaughter in Rafah," and now the leaders must "finally act to stop the slaughter" that the groups say will happen if Israel invades Rafah.
That letter does mention the hostages, however, stating: "A ceasefire is the only way to stop the death and destruction, get more aid to those who desperately need it, and safely release the hostages."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to remain unwavering in his commitment to destroy Hamas. On Thursday, one day after President Joe Biden threatened to withhold weapons from Israel if it invades Rafah, Netanyahu said: "If we need to stand alone, we will stand alone."
Oxfam America, meanwhile, says that Israel is violating U.S. and international law with U.S. arms. Oxfam is circulating a petition to urge "the Biden administration to stop arms transfers to Israel, prioritize a permanent ceasefire, secure the release of all remaining hostages, and allow unimpeded access for humanitarian aid to reach the civilians who need it right now."
Although the non-profit groups are raising money from the war, the House approved a bill last month that would give $9 billion in humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip, which is more than four times the annual GDP of the area.
Madeleine Hubbard
Source: https://justthenews.com/accountability/watchdogs/dozens-non-profits-defend-rafah-accuse-israel-slaughter
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