Israel struck Palestinian police escorting Gaza aid, says US envoy

New York (Quds News Network) – The top U.S. diplomat involved in humanitarian assistance for Gaza said yesterday that Israeli occupation forces earlier this month killed Palestinian police protecting a U.N. aid convoy in the enclave’s embattled southern city of Rafah.

As a result, Palestinian police have refused to protect convoys, hampering aid deliveries inside Gaza because of threats from criminal gangs, said David Satterfield, Washington’s special regional envoy for humanitarian issues.

“With the departure of police escorts, it has been virtually impossible for the U.N. or anyone else, Jordan, the UAE, or any other implementer to safely move assistance in Gaza because of criminal elements,” Satterfield told an event hosted by the Washington-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Israeli bombardments and fighting have destroyed huge swathes of the enclave and created a humanitarian disaster that is prompting fears among aid groups of starvation. The U.N. has said aid has been impeded by Israeli forces, a charge Israel denies.

“The IDF (Israeli Defense Force) 10 days, two weeks ago, did indeed strike at seven, eight, or nine police officials, including a commander whose units had been involved in providing escorts,” he replied.

Such escorts were needed because of attacks on aid convoys first by “desperate” Palestinians and “then by criminal elements,” Satterfield said.