Israeli protesters block aid trucks destined for Gaza

(Patria) - Israeli protesters blocked aid trucks destined for Gaza on Monday, throwing food packages onto the road and opening sacks of grain in the occupied West Bank, the BBC reported.

The trucks, which were attacked at the Tarqumiya checkpoint west of Hebron, came from Jordan and were heading to the Gaza Strip, where thousands of Palestinians are facing food shortages. The White House condemned the attack, describing the "looting" of the aid convoy as a "complete outrage".

The group behind the protests said it was protesting the continued detention of Israeli hostages in Gaza. Footage shared on social media shows protesters throwing boxes from trucks onto the ground and trampling them on the floor. Some videos show burning vehicles.

According to Israeli media reports, the activist group Tzav 9 is responsible for organizing the protests. Israeli media reports describe them as a right-wing group seeking to stop humanitarian aid from reaching Gaza as long as Israeli hostages are held there.

Four protesters, including a minor, were arrested at the demonstrations, according to a statement from their lawyers.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said the protesters' behavior was "completely unacceptable" and that the White House is expressing its concern to the "highest levels of the Israeli government".

The UN World Food Programme has warned that Palestinians in northern Gaza are experiencing "total starvation", while the humanitarian situation is worsening in the south, where most Palestinians have sought refuge.

Israel has long claimed to be committed to facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid within Gaza and has accused Hamas of stealing aid intended for civilians.

Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza to destroy Hamas in response to the group's attack on southern Israel last year, during which about 1,200 people were killed and 252 people were taken hostage. Since then, more than 35,090 people, mostly children and women, have been killed in Gaza.

While the Israeli offensive has focused on the Gaza Strip, tensions between Israeli settlers and Palestinians in the West Bank have risen since the start of the war. About 700,000 Israelis live in 160 settlements with 2.7 million Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, according to a report by the organization Peace Now. Almost the entire international community considers the settlements illegal, and Israel disputes this.