Hamas hid tons of baby formula to damage Israel with starvation claims - Palestinian report

Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, a Palestinian activist from Gaza based in the United States, accused Hamas of deliberately worsening the food crisis in Gaza by hiding significant quantities of infant formula and nutritional supplements intended for children. 

According to him, the organization allegedly stockpiled these products in a warehouse under the authority of the Ministry of Health in Gaza in order to reinforce its narrative of a famine orchestrated by Israel.

In a video posted on social media, Alkhatib showed a large building filled with boxes of baby formula and nutritional drinks. He claimed that these supplies were hidden at the height of the humanitarian crisis in recent months, while images of malnutrition were multiplying and sparking international outrage.

According to the activist, Hamas’s objective was to create an uncontrollable famine situation in order to pressure Israel and restore the UN’s traditional distribution mechanism, to the detriment of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which was established with direct support from the United States. 

This system, designed to bypass Hamas’s control over aid, was marked by scenes of chaos, regular violence, and warnings from the terrorist movement, which allegedly discouraged residents from going to the distribution centers.

The food crisis worsened after the collapse of the ceasefire in March, when Israel then restricted the entry of humanitarian aid. 

As international accusations of famine multiplied, Israel has always denied being responsible for the situation, blaming shortages on the looting of aid by local armed groups. 

An investigation by UNOPS (United Nations Office for Project Services) this summer confirmed that armed gangs were involved in these thefts, without establishing direct responsibility on the part of Hamas.

Alkhatib, known for his opposition to Hamas and his commitment to a two-state solution, nevertheless believes that the movement must be held accountable for its management of the crisis. 

He calls for distinguishing the real suffering of Gaza's civilians from the actions of Hamas, which he accuses of having used hunger as a political weapon. 

According to him, denouncing the abuses of the terrorist movement does not prevent demanding that Israel further facilitate the delivery of aid.

He concludes that the civilian population remains the primary victim of these conflicting strategies, caught between the Israeli blockade, internal violence, and the political manipulations of Hamas.