Israel blocks 'tonnes' of aid donated by Palestinian citizens for Gaza

The Israeli government has blocked tonnes of aid raised by Palestinian citizens of Israel from reaching Gaza, according to a report in the Israeli media on Monday.

The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, which is the name given by Israel to the civilian authority that governs the illegally occupied West Bank, told Haaretz that Israeli-sourced donations have been banned since the beginning of the war.

The Palestinian community in Israel has initiated numerous large-scale drives to raise aid for Gaza, with their compatriots facing an unprecedented hunger, sanitation and health crisis as Israel enters the 11th month of its devasting war on the enclave.

In August, the cross-community Arab-Jewish organisation Standing Together held an aid drive that resulted in a staggering 100 trucks being loaded with 2400 pallets of food and essential goods, according to Haaretz.

However, this huge amount of aid is currently gathering dust in Israeli warehouses, with authorities blocking it from entering Gaza.

The Israeli government says that only aid donated from abroad is permitted entry, but even then this is limited by a quota system and “inspections” by Israeli authorities that often delay the aid for months.

Israel permits only 300 trucks per day to enter Gaza, all of which originate from foreign humanitarian organisations.

Rights organisations have said that this number doesn’t tell the full story, with even this meagre amount being restricted by Israeli authorities while Israeli bombing often makes it impossible to deliver.

Far from Israel making it easier for aid to reach Gaza, as they are compelled to do by the International Court of Justice, humanitarian groups have warned that Tel Aviv is "systematically obstructing aid" from entering the Palestinian territory.

However, plans are being made by Palestinians in Israel for the aid to at least have the chance to enter Gaza by going through international organisations and embassies in the region, which would circumvent Israel’s restrictions and allow the goods to enter as "foreign aid". 

The moves by Palestinian citizens in Israel are another demonstration of the community rallying on behalf of Gazans, something that Israel has attempted to crack down on, with Palestinians involved in the aid drive tying the blocking of their efforts by Israeli authorities to a wider attempt by the Netanyahu government to stifle the voices and actions of the community.

"After 10 months of war in Gaza, bombs, destruction, and starvation, along with a campaign of persecution and silencing of Palestinian citizens of Israel, the Arab community will no longer remain silent," said Rula Daood, co-national director of Standing Together.