Hamas on Sunday condemned Israel's ongoing humanitarian aid airdrops and limited corridor operations in the Gaza Strip, calling them "deceptive tactics" designed to deflect growing international demands to end the siege and famine imposed on Palestinians. In a strongly worded statement, the Palestinian group said Israel's airdrop strategy and so-called safe corridors are part of "a calculated policy to manage famine, impose coercive realities, and subject civilians to danger and humiliation." "The arrival of food and medicine to Gaza is not a favor, it is a natural right and an urgent necessity to stop the catastrophe imposed by the Nazi-like occupation," the statement read. Hamas emphasized that the only path to ending the humanitarian disaster is "stopping the aggression, breaking the blockade, and opening all border crossings." The group accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of directly orchestrating policies that have resulted in widespread civilian deaths and suffering, labeling the aid maneuvers and starvation conditions as "clear-cut war crimes." Hamas also called on the international community to increase pressure—both official and grassroots—to break the blockade and stop what it described as a "deliberate campaign of starvation and genocide." The warning comes as Israel carried out another aid airdrop over Gaza on Sunday and announced plans for temporary pauses in fighting to allow limited aid access via designated corridors. Since May 27, Israel has also launched an alternative distribution initiative through the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), bypassing the United Nations and international humanitarian agencies—a move that has drawn criticism and rejection from global aid organizations. Despite these efforts, Israeli forces have continued to open fire on Palestinians gathering near distribution centers, resulting in hundreds of casualties. The Israeli military campaign, which began on Oct. 7, 2023, has killed over 59,700 Palestinians, according to local health authorities, the majority of them women and children. The relentless bombardment has devastated Gaza and triggered catastrophic food shortages. In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Israel also faces a separate genocide case at the International Court of Justice. — Agencies
