Israeli Activists Block Humanitarian Aid Shipment Headed to Gaza

Dozens of protesters from Tzav 9, a far-right Israeli extremist group, vandalized several humanitarian aid trucks bound for Gaza in the southern West Bank on Monday, according to local reports and videos circulating on social media.

The incident, which unfolded near the Tarqumiya checkpoint near the occupied city of Hebron, was captured in multiple social media videos and later verified by Israeli reporter Hod Barel of Tel Aviv-based GLZ Radio, one of the country's largest stations.

The group, known for its aggressive opposition to Gazan aid deliveries, took advantage of a moment of silence marking Israel's Memorial Day to blockade the highway and damage the convoy of aid trucks.

In one image, protesters can be seen tossing numerous sacks of sugar from a truck, ripping and throwing supplies onto the pavement, with some bags tearing open and spilling.

Additional footage showed that several trucks in the convoy had been similarly vandalized. At least six of the protesters involved in the incident were arrested and taken into custody, according to reports from Israeli media outlets.

Tzav 9 said in a statement that activists would remain as long as necessary to keep the trucks from entering Gaza. It said 80 trucks were scheduled to make the journey throughout the day.

Following similar blockades of aid trucks, Israel had to reroute the convoys through the Rabin Crossing near Eilat, a southern Israeli port city.

What is the Tsav-9 movement?

Since January, Tsav-9 demonstrators have stationed themselves along Gaza's borders to stop aid trucks from entering the Strip.

The movement, inspired by Tsav-8 — an order issued by the Israeli army to mobilize reservists during emergencies — started when a call was posted on Facebook by Israeli citizens who were outraged by the shipment of humanitarian aid to Gaza, where Israeli hostages are still being held. The group believes that at least 70 percent of the humanitarian aid into Gaza is being diverted to Hamas, which controlled the enclave before the war.

Ronen Bar, head of the Israeli intelligence service Shin Bet, previously estimated that 60 to 70 percent of aid going to Gaza winds up in the hands of Hamas. The amount of aid going into Gaza has also been heavily restricted by Israeli forces.

Tsav-9's disruptive tactics have made headlines before, most notably during a three-day encampment at the Kerem Shalom border crossing, earlier this year. The blockade halted over a hundred trucks.

In February, 30 protesters were arrested for causing riots and insulting police forces near the same crossing, where U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was expected a week later. Faced with the threat of disruptions, Blinken's visit was eventually canceled.

Despite backlash from many Israeli citizens who condemn the group for exacerbating Gaza's humanitarian crisis, Tzav-9 continues to receive support from other far-right groups and activists in Israel, including families of Israelis who have been killed or abducted by Hamas militants.

As the war in Gaza grinds on, UN agencies and humanitarian organizations have issued dire warnings of an impending famine, especially in the northern territories, over a lack of humanitarian aid getting to those who need it.

Israel's offensive in Gaza, sparked by the Hamas' October 7 attack that killed 1,200 people in southern Israel, has left much of the Strip in ruins, killing more than 34,000 Palestinians, according to the Associated Press citing the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.