Palestinian tribes step in to safeguard limited Gaza aid from looting

A group of young Palestinian men from local tribes gather about a kilometre from the Kissufim Crossing, a checkpoint controlled by the Israeli military.

Located in the buffer zone between Khan Younis and Deir al Balah in southern Gaza, the men's mission is clear: to safeguard aid trucks entering the enclave from theft.

The men, whose homes, farms, and properties were destroyed by repeated Israeli incursions, now patrol both sides of a dirt road. Armed with sticks and batons, and in a few cases light firearms, they keep watch for thieves or others attempting to seize the aid.

"This is a national, humanitarian, and religious mission," declared Awda Abu Khamash, the self-proclaimed coordinator of a grassroots tribal initiative dedicated to safeguarding humanitarian aid. Addressing a group of young volunteers during the mission last month, he said: "Our task is to ensure these shipments reach their destinations without harm."

Stolen aid

For many, the mission has become sacred, especially after a convoy of nearly 100 United Nations (UN) aid trucks was robbed in mid-November by masked men who held the drivers at gunpoint, leaving many injured in one of the worst single losses of aid during the war.

In famine-stricken Gaza, these gangs of armed men have become the primary barrier to aid distribution. They loot convoys of trucks entering Gaza, operating openly in a restricted border zone, despite the presence of Israeli soldiers. Rich traders then buy the looted aid on the black market, selling it to hungry Palestinians at exorbitant rates.

The disruption has been so severe that on December 1, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees halted the delivery of aid through the Karem Abu Salem crossing between Israel and Gaza, saying it had become "impossible" to deliver aid safely.

Now that international aid has begun trickling into Gaza via Kissufim, local families, including members of the Abu Hudhaf, Abu Khamash, and Samiri tribes, joined forces over a month ago and have taken it upon themselves to safeguard humanitarian supplies.

In a series of statements, they pledged to protect humanitarian aid shipments, mobilising volunteers and issuing stern warnings to would-be thieves to repel attacks, even if it requires using firearms.

The informal coalition has called collective efforts to protect shipments "a national duty" to address the hunger crisis.

"Our success lies in the reputation of these tribes," Abu Khamash told TRT World. "Their presence alone deters many from attempting theft."

"This was our way to prevent young men from being drawn into criminal activity," said the leader, who is a former police officer who retired early under the Palestinian Authority. "We encouraged them to protect their community instead of preying on it."

Protecting flour and medicine

The initiative has recruited over 100 volunteers. Most do not receive any compensation. A few do get minimal allowances from some aid organisations that recruit their services, but this barely covers the cost of transportation and the occasional warning shots fired to deter would-be attackers.

"Every mission carries risks," Abu Khamash said, referencing both the threat of armed gangs and the looming presence of Israeli forces, which have previously targeted volunteers in Rafah and other locations.

Volunteers who initially rode atop aid trucks for protection now escort convoys in cars for better security. In the past month, the initiative has secured three successful deliveries so far without any reported thefts.

However, Abu Khamash remains concerned about the sustainability of their mission, especially given the dire financial state of many volunteers.

"They often spend out of their own pockets" on fuel, batons and bullets, he said. "What they receive barely offsets the costs, and yet they continue."

He stressed the immense need for aid and the importance of preventing vital supplies from falling into the wrong hands. "We cannot do this alone. This mission requires the backing of everyone - tribes, civil society, youth groups, and even political factions."

Israel's role

One volunteer who was previously involved in protecting convoys in Rafah accused Israeli forces of indirectly enabling theft, an opinion that has been echoed by international aid sources.

Some of these organisations' members claim that the Israeli military is allowing armed men from Rafah to loot aid convoys entering Gaza and demand protection fees.

"The army facilitates gang access by directing convoys into high-risk zones and then targeting our security teams with gunfire," the source, who requested anonymity, told TRT World.

Recounting a harrowing incident, he described how a convoy of 14 aid trucks came under attack about two weeks ago. "A thief opened fire, and the Israeli army responded by shooting at us, injuring three of our team, one critically," he said.

Thirteen trucks were looted, while only one managed to escape.

"The attack occurred in a militarised zone close to the Israeli army, where it's clear they could have identified the source of the shooting. Volunteers often abandon their vehicles miles from the nearest safe zone and trek to the convoys, dodging bullets from gangs and military forces alike,” he said, noting that seven members of his extended family had died during similar missions.

Despite these dangers, volunteers receive minimal compensation.

"We secure flour shipments for free," he explained. "For other aid trucks, we get 2,500 shekels ($693) per truck, and for commercial goods, it's around $1,000 per truck. These amounts don't even cover the cost of bullets, let alone the risk."

The source also addressed allegations that certain tribes are complicit in theft.

"Our work disproves those claims. We're protecting aid, not taking it," he said.

The tribal initiative, he highlighted, "remains independent of any Palestinian security apparatus," avoiding entanglement in political divisions. However, he called for an official security force to address the growing problem of organised theft, warning that tribes alone may soon be overwhelmed.

Tribal protectors

Amjad al-Shawa, director of the Palestinian NGO Network, agreed. Given the communal nature of Palestinian society, the tribal role is "central and essential," he said. However, he stressed that this effort was insufficient on its own.

"Combating aid theft requires the full participation of all components of Palestinian society," he told TRT World. "The occupation has dismantled Gaza's legal enforcement structures, including the judiciary and civil police, to create an environment conducive to lawlessness."

The Israeli military, he said, channels convoys through routes accessible to armed groups and intentionally limits aid supplies to fuel competition and theft.

But there are potential alternatives to prevent theft, including the reopening of additional crossings and increasing the volume of aid and goods allowed into Gaza to reduce the incentive for looting, he said.

"If prices drop and goods become widely available, stealing aid will no longer be worthwhile," Al-Shawa said.

Additionally, the director proposed rerouting aid convoys through paths less frequented by gangs, such as those near the Egyptian border or directly adjacent to Israeli-controlled areas where theft incidents are reportedly fewer.

Al-Shawa also advocated for the reinstatement of Gaza's civil police to oversee aid deliveries under a framework acceptable to all political factions.

"For now, tribal volunteers remain the frontline defenders of Gaza's fragile aid pipeline, risking their lives to ensure that vital supplies reach the growing number of people in need," he said.

This article is published in collaboration with Egab.