Current:Home > InvestU.S. sanctions Israeli group for damaging humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians -Nova Finance Academy
U.S. sanctions Israeli group for damaging humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians
View
Date:2025-04-18 08:01:57
Washington — The State Department sanctioned an Israeli extremist group that it said has been mounting attacks aimed at thwarting the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, it announced Friday.
The U.S. accused members of the group, called Tsav 9, of blocking, harassing and damaging convoys carrying assistance to Palestinians in Gaza for several months. The group has blocked roads along a route from Jordan to Gaza, damaged aid trucks and thrown food supplies onto the ground, according to the State Department.
Tsav 9 members were also accused of looting and setting fire to two trucks carrying aid near the West Bank city of Hebron last month.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan condemned those attacks, calling them a "total outrage." He said then that the Biden administration was examining ways to respond and had raised concerns with the Israeli government.
"It's something we make no bones about," Sullivan told reporters last month. "We find it completely and utterly unacceptable."
In announcing the sanctions, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller underscored the importance of getting humanitarian assistance into Gaza to prevent the crisis there from worsening and to mitigate the risk of famine.
He said the Israeli government has a responsibility to ensure that humanitarian convoys heading to Gaza can move throughout Israel and the West Bank safety and securely.
"We will not tolerate acts of sabotage and violence targeting this essential humanitarian assistance," Miller said. "We will continue to use all tools at our disposal to promote accountability for those who attempt or undertake such heinous acts, and we expect and urge that Israeli authorities do the same."
The Times of Israel newspaper described Tsav 9 as a "right wing organization" that opposes the provision of aid to Gaza while Hamas continues to hold hostages taken during the attacks in Israel on Oct. 7. The group has posted images and videos of their blockades to social media and vowed to stop assistance from getting into war-torn Gaza until all hostages are released.
Humanitarian groups have warned the assistance getting to Palestinians in Gaza is insufficient and blamed the Israeli government for making it difficult for legitimate goods to reach the Hamas-controlled territory.
The head of the World Health Organization said this week that a "significant proportion of Gaza's population is now facing catastrophic hunger and famine-line conditions." Two United Nations agencies warned in a report this month that more than 1 million people in Gaza — nearly half its population — are expected to face death and starvation by mid-July.
"In the absence of a cessation of hostilities and increased access, the impact on mortality and the lives of the Palestinians now, and in future generations, will increase markedly with every day, even if famine is avoided in the near term," the report from the World Food Program and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations stated.
Margaret Brennan and Camilla Schick contributed reporting.
- In:
- Hamas
- Israel
Melissa Quinn is a politics reporter for CBSNews.com. She has written for outlets including the Washington Examiner, Daily Signal and Alexandria Times. Melissa covers U.S. politics, with a focus on the Supreme Court and federal courts.
TwitterveryGood! (8366)
Related
- Backstage at New York's Jingle Ball with Jimmy Fallon, 'Queer Eye' and Meghan Trainor
- WNBA to expand to Toronto, per report. Team would begin play in 2026.
- Luka Doncic bounces back, helps Mavericks hand Thunder first loss of NBA playoffs
- US pledges money and other aid to help track and contain bird flu on dairy farms
- In ‘Nickel Boys,’ striving for a new way to see
- Kentucky prosecutor accused of trading favors for meth and sex pleads guilty to federal charge
- Why Dance Moms' Abby Lee Miller Says She Wasn't Invited to Reunion
- Kimora Lee Simmons Breaks Silence on Daughter Aoki’s Brief Romance With Restaurateur Vittorio Assaf
- Pregnant Kylie Kelce Shares Hilarious Question Her Daughter Asked Jason Kelce Amid Rising Fame
- Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Arrive in Nigeria for 3-Day Tour
Ranking
- Juan Soto praise of Mets' future a tough sight for Yankees, but World Series goal remains
- Ringo Starr talks hanging with McCartney, why he's making a country album and new tour
- What happened to Utah women's basketball team may not be a crime, but it was a disgrace
- Despite revenue downgrade, North Carolina anticipates nearly $1B more in cash
- Meta donates $1 million to Trump’s inauguration fund
- Betting money for the WNBA is pouring in on Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever
- Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Arrive in Nigeria for 3-Day Tour
- Prince Harry is in London to mark the Invictus Games. King Charles won't see his son on this trip.
Recommendation
Bodycam footage shows high
New grad? In these cities, the social scene and job market are hot
Priyanka Chopra Shares Heartfelt Appreciation Message for Husband Nick Jonas
State trooper who arrested LGBTQ+ leaders in Philadelphia no longer works for state police
'Most Whopper
Luka Doncic bounces back, helps Mavericks hand Thunder first loss of NBA playoffs
Prince Harry, Duchess Meghan visit school children as part of first trip to Nigeria
An education board in Virginia votes to restore Confederate names to 2 schools