An internal analysis from the U.S. government has revealed a significant finding: there is no evidence of systematic theft of U.S.-funded humanitarian supplies by the Palestinian militant group Hamas. This challenges a key argument put forth by Israel and the U.S. to justify support for a new armed private aid operation.
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Conducted by a bureau within the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and completed in late June, the analysis reviewed 156 incidents of theft or loss reported by U.S. humanitarian partner organizations from October 2022 to May 2023. The findings highlight that there were “no reports alleging Hamas” benefiting from U.S.-funded supplies, as evidenced in a slide presentation obtained by Reuters.
A spokesperson from the U.S. State Department countered these findings, asserting that video evidence exists of Hamas looting aid. However, specifics regarding such evidence were not provided. The spokesperson also accused traditional humanitarian groups of concealing “aid corruption.”
Israel maintains its commitment to facilitating aid but insists on controlling its distribution to prevent theft by Hamas, which it blames for the ongoing crisis.
Prior to the Trump administration’s freeze on all U.S. foreign aid in January, USAID was the largest provider of assistance to Gaza. The current humanitarian situation is dire; according to the UN World Food Programme, nearly a quarter of Gaza’s 2.1 million residents face famine-like conditions. Reports from the World Health Organization indicate that thousands are suffering from acute malnutrition, with instances of starvation-related deaths among children and vulnerable populations.
UN estimates indicate that Israeli forces have killed over 1,000 individuals seeking food supplies, most of whom were near the highly militarized distribution sites of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a new private aid entity run by a for-profit U.S. logistics firm and staffed by former CIA officers and armed military veterans.
The Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) within USAID, which until the aid freeze was a leading funder in Gaza, conducted this analysis. The study revealed that at least 44 of the reported incidents of aid theft or loss were “either directly or indirectly” attributable to Israeli military actions, as noted in the briefing materials. Israel’s military did not respond to inquiries regarding these findings.
While the analysis acknowledged a limitation—namely, the inability to vet Palestinian aid recipients—it suggested that U.S.-funded supplies could have inadvertently reached Hamas officials, the ruling Islamists in Gaza. A source involved in the study cautioned, “The absence of widespread reports of aid diversion does not necessarily imply that such diversion has not occurred.”
The ongoing conflict in Gaza intensified following a Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 people and 251 hostages, according to Israeli counts. Tragically, nearly 60,000 Palestinians have died since the onset of the Israeli military response, as per Palestinian health officials.
Israel has accused Hamas of appropriating humanitarian aid from organizations such as the UN, alleging that it uses these supplies to control the civilian population and enhance its financial standing by raising the prices of goods and selling them to residents. In response to inquiries regarding the USAID report, an Israeli military spokesperson claimed that intelligence indicated Hamas militants have seized cargoes by integrating themselves covertly and overtly with aid transport.
Hamas has categorically denied these allegations. A Hamas security official stated that over 800 members of their police and security forces have been killed while trying to safeguard aid vehicles and delivery routes, missions coordinated with the UN.
While Reuters has been unable to independently verify claims from either Hamas or Israel, GHF has similarly accused Hamas of significant aid theft to bolster the defense of its own distribution model. The UN and various organizations have declined collaboration with GHF, arguing that its involvement compromises international humanitarian principles of neutrality.
In defense of its stance, GHF pointed to a July 2 article from the Washington Post, citing anonymous sources from Gaza and Israeli officials who assert that Hamas profited from pilfered humanitarian aid through sales and taxes.
The BHA study found a total of 156 incidents of theft or loss reported by UN agencies and humanitarian organizations receiving U.S. aid, which were mandated to disclose losses as a condition of funding. Following such reports, USAID staff engaged with partner entities to investigate potential Hamas involvement. Should Hamas be present during aid distribution, these organizations would “redirect or pause” their operations, as stated by a knowledgeable source. Furthermore, humanitarian agencies must vet personnel and contractors for associations with extremist groups before accessing U.S. funds, although this requirement was relaxed recently for GHF’s $30 million approval.
The slide presentation indicated that partner organizations often over-reported aid diversion and theft involving groups designated by the U.S. as foreign terrorist organizations—like Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad—out of concern for losing funding.
Of the 156 reported theft incidents, 63 were attributed to unknown perpetrators, 35 to armed actors, and 25 to unarmed individuals. Interestingly, 11 incidents were directly linked to Israeli military actions (including airstrikes), while others involved corrupt subcontractors and staff from aid organizations engaged in misconduct. The category “others” encompassed commodities lost under mysterious circumstances. The analysis stated, “The majority of incidents could not be definitively attributed to a specific actor,” highlighting the complexity of the situation.
“Our partners frequently found that the commodities had been reported stolen in transit without identifying the perpetrator,” a finding underscored in another slide. While classified intelligence reports concerning aid theft by Hamas might exist, BHA staff reportedly lost access to these systems during the restructuring of USAID. However, a U.S. intelligence source indicated no known intelligence reports confirming Hamas aid diversions, emphasizing reliance on Israeli intelligence.
Ultimately, the BHA analysis concluded that the Israeli military “directly or indirectly caused” a total of 44 incidents of lost or stolen U.S.-funded aid, which included those directly caused by military actions as well as those resulting from compelled delivery routes that left aid vulnerable to theft.
“In tumultuous times like these, it’s essential to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches those in need without obstruction,” said an anonymous humanitarian worker. The situation calls for all parties to prioritize the welfare of innocent civilians amidst ongoing conflict.
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International – Monitoring.
