Hamas leaders hoarded stolen aid, leaked recordings show

(JNS)  Newly uncovered Hamas radio communications from the Swords of Iron war, aired by Israel’s Channel 12 News on Sunday, reveal internal tensions within the terrorist organization, particularly over the distribution of humanitarian aid.

The recordings feature operatives accusing the leadership of hoarding stolen supplies for themselves. One operative even threatens, “Tell the leadership in Khan Yunis—we’ll tear you apart.”

Humanitarian aid became a focal point in the November 2023 ceasefire deal. Hamas had agreed to release hostages in exchange for increased aid entering Gaza, and after the deal, 250 trucks of humanitarian supplies entered the Strip daily. However, these recordings reveal that much of this aid, intended for the civilian population, ended up with Hamas leadership.

Jerusalem’s concerns about the aid focused on how it bolstered Hamas’s strength. Israeli officials argued that it primarily benefited the terrorist organization, enabling it to continue its operations.

Israeli officials shared the recordings with their counterparts in the Biden administration, attempting—unsuccessfully—to push back against White House pressure to continue allowing the daily entry of 250 aid trucks into Gaza after the November 2023 truce collapsed.

A security source quoted in the report stated, “The Americans helped us a lot at the start of the war, but at some point, they tied one of our hands. Not only did the flow of humanitarian aid not feed Gaza’s civilians—it helped Hamas recover, and in that sense, we helped them get back on their feet.”