US imposes sanctions on Israeli group for blocking Gaza aid

The US State Department has sanctioned Tsav 9, describing it as a violent, extremist Israeli group, for blocking convoys delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza and assaulting trucks.

The US said Tsav 9 activists began obstructing a key crossing, Kerem Shalom, at the start of the year, and later set trucks on fire and injured drivers and Israel Defense Forces soldiers, as hunger spread inside Gaza.

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“For months, individuals from Tzav 9 have frequently sought to stop the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, including by blockading roads, sometimes violently,” spokesperson, Matthew Miller, said in a statement. “They also have damaged aid trucks and dumped life-saving humanitarian aid on to the road.”

Detailing about an attack in mid-May, Miller said, “Tsav 9 members looted and then set fire to two trucks near Hebron, in the West Bank, carrying humanitarian aid destined for men, women and children in Gaza”.

However, Tsav 9 said the sanctions were shocking, and go against any American and liberal values.

The group's statement reiterated unverified claims that Hamas diverted "much" of the aid sent to Gaza and asserted that the group represents the families of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

The group’s actions sparked outrage internationally, but inside Israel there is widespread support for their opposition to aid shipments into Gaza.

Earlier this year, several polls found a majority of Israelis believed humanitarian shipments into the Gaza strip should be halted or limited.

At the beginning of the year, two war cabinet members, who have since resigned, proposed temporarily restricting aid to weaken Hamas, according to Israeli media reports.

Althoughit was not immediately clear how imposing sanctions would affect individuals linked to Tsav 9, which is an informal campaign organisation, and how many of those who joined its actions might be affected.

Notably, the sanctions are the latest in several rounds of limitations imposed under a broad executive order announced by President Joe Biden in February, which allows the US to penalise actions that “threaten the peace, security or stability of the West Bank”.

Friday’s statement also appeared to criticise the Israeli government, asserting that it has a “responsibility to ensure the safety and security of humanitarian convoys transiting Israel and the West Bank en route to Gaza”.

The US state department said, “The provision of humanitarian assistance is vital to preventing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza from worsening and to mitigating the risk of famine. We will not tolerate acts of sabotage and violence targeting this essential humanitarian assistance.”

(With inputs from agencies)