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Venetia Menzies @venetiamenzies.bsky.social · Aug 3

Airdrops were permitted by Israel last week for the first time since November

MSF have called them dangerous - and Gazans have derided them as humiliating

But proponents argue they are necessary but should not replace overland routes that the Gazans need - right now

Venetia Menzies @venetiamenzies.bsky.social · Aug 3

Yesterday Hamas released a video of starving hostage Evyatar David

While Israel and Hamas prioritise military wins over the needs of those going hungry - civilians and hostages continue to suffer

Venetia Menzies @venetiamenzies.bsky.social · Aug 3

The GHF say they want to work with the UN to help them distribute their rotting aid

The UN say they do not need help but need Israel to lift restrictions on moving the aid

But even when their trucks can move, they are looted by armed gangs and hungry civilians

Venetia Menzies @venetiamenzies.bsky.social · Aug 3

The IDF said “thorough examinations were conducted” “instructions were issued to forces in the field following lessons learnt” + that the incidents are under review

“We unequivocally condemn any harm inflicted upon civilians seeking aid, regardless of where the fire is coming from,” said GHF

Venetia Menzies @venetiamenzies.bsky.social · Aug 3

Even if patients survive, many fail to recover due to malnutrition

@msf.org surgeon Sarmad Tamimy said

“They’ll end up going into wards without enough equipment... they’ll get horrible infections, they’ll keep on coming back to the theatre... then die a more miserable death"

Venetia Menzies @venetiamenzies.bsky.social · Aug 3

Dr Goher Rahbour, an NHS gastrointestinal surgeon who volunteered with
@medicalaidpal.bsky.social said his patients spoke of being shot at by the IDF

He wondered how so many had been shot in both the head and the shoulder, later understanding they had been lying down taking cover

Venetia Menzies @venetiamenzies.bsky.social · Aug 3

“It is 2025, and people are dying because they need a bag of flour,” said Mohammed Fadlalla who volunteered with
@msf.org

His patients described being “indiscriminately sprayed with bullets” by Israeli forces on their way to GHF sites

“It’s a game of chicken with your life”

Venetia Menzies @venetiamenzies.bsky.social · Aug 3

Scarcity of food is self-reinforcing: limited aid makes hunger rampant and theft highly profitable, meaning less food reaches those who need it

Crowds of desperate civilians overwhelming aid convoys can even be seen via satellite imagery

Venetia Menzies @venetiamenzies.bsky.social · Aug 3

But more aid is being looted than ever before

Israel blames Hamas for looting

Hamas accuses Israel of “consciously seeking to spread chaos and engineer famine”

The UN says looting is due to desperation and that the only way to restore order is to flood Gaza with supplies

Venetia Menzies @venetiamenzies.bsky.social · Aug 3

The GHF has four distribution sites, compared with over 400 that were run by the UN previously

Gazans must enter a militarised zone to reach them, with over 1,100 being killed in the process - the majority by the IDF

The GHF says they have asked Israel to expand operations

Venetia Menzies @venetiamenzies.bsky.social · Aug 3

How did it get this bad?

From March to May, Israel blockaded all aid from reaching Gaza

In May, a new mechanism was set up which Israel says aimed to keep food out of Hamas’ hands, but looting is now worse than ever

The starvation of Gaza and Israel’s role, in maps, charts and video

Venetia Menzies @venetiamenzies.bsky.social · Aug 3

More Gazans died of malnutrition in 11 days than in 21 months of war

Hunger is growing and while the powerful eat first, children and the hostages are starving

A visual explainer on the aid crisis and who blames who for the failure @thetimes.com 👇

www.thetimes.com/world/middle...

To reach what little aid is let through, Palestinians have to walk through a war zone, avoid armed looters and hope the IDF doesn’t shoot them

Crime boss, traitor, looter — or Gaza’s best hope?

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Venetia Menzies @venetiamenzies.bsky.social · Jul 20

Read the full exclusive at @thetimes.com or pick up a copy of today's paper 🗞️

🎁🔗👇

www.thetimes.com/article/e581...

The anti-Hamas militia leader Yasser Abu Shabab says he’s no collaborator or criminal, just an ordinary Palestinian with a plan to save his people

Venetia Menzies @venetiamenzies.bsky.social · Jul 20

Accused of being enabled by Israel, Egypt, the PA and the UAE, the group is at a critical juncture as a ceasefire looms and Hamas seeks to destroy them

Will Hamas succeed? Or will they receive protection and play a pivotal role in any post-war Gaza plans?

Venetia Menzies @venetiamenzies.bsky.social · Jul 20

Shabab said his tribal relationships leave him well placed to manage the Rafah crossing in a post war Gaza

He said he believed his 'safe area' is included in Israel's plans to create a 'humanitarian city' on the ruins of Rafah, but that he hadn't received any direct assurance

Venetia Menzies @venetiamenzies.bsky.social · Jul 20

Regional expert Mohannad Sabry said this relationship serves Egypt's interests

"If Egypt wants to continue to be the major financial player, they have to continue that kind of control and that kind of foot soldiers on the ground. Yasser Abu Shabab is their suitable option.”

The company taking refugees out of Gaza — and ‘making millions’

Venetia Menzies @venetiamenzies.bsky.social · Jul 20

The most prominent wealthy member of the Tarabin tribe is Ibrahim al-Arjani, nicknamed the “King of the Crossing” who has long provided “safe protection” for goods transported from the Sinai Peninsula to Gaza for a fee 👇

www.thetimes.com/article/gaza...

Ibrahim al-Arjani’s company Hala may have made $88 million in a matter of weeks by reportedly charging desperate people more than $5,000 to leave for Egypt

Venetia Menzies @venetiamenzies.bsky.social · Jul 20

Shabab said it wasn't Israel but Tarabin tribe members - from Gaza, Egypt, Jordan and the Gulf - that support and arm him

“Notable members of our family contributed money, and we used this money to buy products from the markets in Gaza and give it to needy people”

Venetia Menzies @venetiamenzies.bsky.social · Jul 20

Critics believe they are supported by Israel because the IDF don't attack them

Duhine said their "only guarantee for security" is that they don't attack Israel, who "only target Hamas"

“The proof that Israel is not targeting civilians intentionally is our example"

Venetia Menzies @venetiamenzies.bsky.social · Jul 20

Hamas has demanded their surrender

Duhine said Hamas will 'focus' on their elimination in a ceasefire and requested protection

“We're trying to secure our areas and ourselves as much as possible and be ready for a ceasefire. But there is no real support for us to fight Hamas"

Venetia Menzies @venetiamenzies.bsky.social · Jul 20

His deputy Ghassan Duhine, a former PA intelligence officer who denies alleged links to ISIS, said Israel is stopping people coming to Rafah to join their 'safe zone' but that many were willing

The group is recruiting volunteers, and said Hamas defectors had approached them

Venetia Menzies @venetiamenzies.bsky.social · Jul 20

“When I saw our people were suffering from the fact Hamas was stealing aid and was bringing this war with Israel upon the Gazans, leaving our people struggling and displaced, the idea sparked to create a safe zone for our people where we don’t fight”

Venetia Menzies @venetiamenzies.bsky.social · Jul 20

Shabab said his vision is for a Gaza that is open to the world, has peace with its neighbours and is democratic

Before considering running in any elections, he wants to 'defeat terrorism'

“We want our area to be a model of how Gaza can defeat terrorism and return to normal”

Venetia Menzies @venetiamenzies.bsky.social · Jul 20

Last month Netanyahu confirmed that his government had “activated” clans in Gaza opposed to Hamas at the advice of security officials, but did not name Shabab

“What’s bad about it?” he said. “It’s only good, and it only saves the lives of IDF soldiers”