![Aid trucks carrying food supplies and humanitarian aid arrive in the Gaza Strip via Beit Lahiya, north of Gaza City as the Israeli attacks continue on 27 May 2024 [Dawoud Abo Alkas/Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/AA-20240527-34702598-34702584-HUMANITARIAN_AID_TRUCKS_ENTER_NORTHERN_GAZA-scaled-e1716891283566.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
The Interior Ministry in Gaza reported on Monday evening that at least 20 members of gangs involved in theft from humanitarian aid trucks were killed during an operation by security forces in cooperation with tribal committees.
Ministry sources told Al-Aqsa TV that the operation marks the beginning of an extended security campaign aimed at addressing the thefts from aid trucks, a plan that has been in preparation for a long time. The sources stressed that similar operations will continue to target all those involved in such crimes.
The ministry affirmed that security forces will adopt a strict approach to penalise anyone assisting these criminal gangs. It clarified that the campaign does not target specific tribes, but rather seeks to eliminate the widespread phenomenon of aid truck thefts, which have impacted the community severely and contributed to signs of famine in southern Gaza.
Praising the role of Palestinian tribes in eastern Rafah, the sources highlighted that while some individuals may have been drawn into a life of crime, this does not tarnish the legacy of families who have sacrificed countless martyrs in resistance efforts.
The ministry also disclosed that the security forces had intercepted communications between the gangs and Israeli forces, alleging that the gangs received operational guidance and security cover from Shin Bet officers.
Moreover, said the sources, the Palestinian factions were briefed on the security operation, which received broad national support.
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