US agency report clears Hamas of diverting humanitarian aid in Gaza

US agency report clears Hamas of diverting humanitarian aid in Gaza

The internal report, which examined 156 incidents of lost or stolen aid between October 2023 and May 2025, concluded that “there is no indication Hamas systematically diverted any assistance provided by USAID.”

A confidential review by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has found no evidence that the Palestinian group Hamas diverted any US-funded humanitarian aid in Gaza, countering long-standing accusations from both Israel and the US government.

The internal report, which examined 156 incidents of lost or stolen aid between October 2023 and May 2025, concluded that “there is no indication Hamas systematically diverted any assistance provided by USAID.”

This finding challenges the justification used by Israel and the US for a new private military aid delivery operation in Gaza that has caused over 1,000 deaths among civilians seeking food.

The report comes at a time when Gaza is enduring a deepening humanitarian catastrophe under a prolonged Israeli blockade and military assault that began in October 2023.

Israel has maintained that aid must be tightly controlled to prevent Hamas from exploiting it, claims now undermined by USAID’s review.

Despite the growing famine, the aid operation backed by the US has relied on armed contractors, air drops, and sea corridors rather than direct distribution through humanitarian groups. The strategy has drawn criticism for being unsafe, inefficient, and deadly.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, over 1,083 people have been killed and at least 7,275 injured while attempting to collect food from distribution points since the war began.

Most of the casualties are reported to be unarmed civilians shot or trampled in chaotic scenes around aid trucks.

Israel’s military campaign has killed more than 59,500 Palestinians, with the majority being women and children, according to Gaza health authorities.

The bombardment has destroyed hospitals, schools, and homes, leaving millions displaced and dependent on external aid for survival.

In November last year, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Gaza.

Israel is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice. Both legal efforts have intensified global scrutiny of Israel’s actions and the humanitarian impact of its blockade.

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