Several aid trucks carrying humanitarian aid supplies to Gaza were destroyed by a fire in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
A video obtained by Reuters on Tuesday (14) showed trucks next to a barrier in Beit Awwa, west of Hebron, fully engulfed in flames. Firefighters worked to extinguish the flames, but the vehicles and contents appeared destroyed.
The location was verified by signage, yellow line, curvature of the barrier and white dust on the road that corroborate the photographs of the location. In these photographs, the buildings in the background and the road layout correspond to the satellite images.
Palestinian transporters expressed fear for the safety of aid convoys to Gaza, a day after Israeli protesters attacked trucks and destroyed humanitarian supplies destined for the enclave, which is facing a serious hunger crisis.
Four protesters, including a minor, were arrested at the protest, at the Tarqumiya checkpoint, west of Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, according to a statement from lawyers representing the protesters.
Images on social media showed trucks destroyed and stripped of their loads, which were left strewn across the road near the Tarqumiya checkpoint, on the outskirts of Hebron, in the occupied West Bank.
“Yesterday there was coordination for 70 aid trucks to go to the Gaza Strip,” said Waseem Al-Jabari, head of the Hebron Food Trade Association.
“While the trucks were loaded with products at the intersection, the settlers attacked the trucks, destroyed the products and set the trucks on fire,” he said, adding that Israeli soldiers stood by during the attack.
Monday's incident was claimed by a group calling itself Order 9, which said it acted to prevent supplies from reaching Hamas. The group accuses the Israeli government of giving “gifts” to Islamic militants.
There were no comments from the Israeli Army. Israeli police said the incident, in which several people were arrested, was under investigation.
The violent protest drew condemnation from Washington, which called on Israel to increase aid supplies to Gaza to ease the growing humanitarian crisis in the enclave, seven months after the war began.
UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron also condemned the “appalling” incident, saying Israel must hold the attackers to account.
Palestinians and human rights groups have long accused the Israeli military and police of deliberately failing to intervene when settlers attack Palestinians in the West Bank.
Adel Amer, a member of the West Bank-based transport union, said about 15 trucks were damaged by Israeli protesters, who hit some drivers and caused about $2 million in damage.
“Drivers are now refusing to take goods to Gaza because they are scared,” he said. “It’s a disaster here because of the settlers.”
Even with the military present, the convoys are still at risk, he added. “The Army says we can’t do anything against the settlers.”
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Source: CNN Brasil
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