Families of Israeli hostages obstruct entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza

Families of Israeli prisoners obstructed the entry of humanitarian aid to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip for a second consecutive day on Thursday, according to Israeli newspaper, Haaretz.

The newspaper said the families, along with right-wing activists, blocked the passage of aid trucks to Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing.

Protesters closed the road to the crossing and prevented trucks loaded with humanitarian aid from passing.

"We are here today to show Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he can stop the trucks, just as we are stopping them now," said Dany Elgart, a brother of Itzik Elgart, who is being held hostage in Gaza. "I call on all citizens: come to the checkpoint and stop this humanitarian aid with your bodies. It is not humanitarian at all because it only serves one segment of the population there. The hostages there do not receive any humanitarian aid."

Tzofit Libman, the sister-in-law of Eliahu Libman, a hostage, told the newspaper: "We were here yesterday, and we did the impossible and stopped these trucks. If there are thousands of people standing here protesting, the trucks will not pass."

She added: "This humanitarian aid is a moral lapse. These innocent civilians (Gaza residents) are helping Hamas, and they chose Hamas. There is no reason for them to receive anything, anything at all, from the Israeli government.

It is worth noting that the aid comes from abroad and is transported through Israel, which announced the closure of crossings to the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7.

Gaza is connected to Israel through the Erez crossing for individuals and the Kerem Shalom crossing for goods.

Israeli officials estimate that there are 136 hostages still held in Gaza since the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, launched a surprise attack on Israeli military points and settlements in the envelope of the Gaza Strip in early October.

About 1,200 Israelis were killed, approximately 5,431 injured, and at least 239 were captured. Some of the hostages were released in a prisoner swap deal in December.

The resulting Israeli deadly offensive has killed at least 25,700 Palestinians and injured 63,740.

The Israeli war has left 85% of Gaza's population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while more than half of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.