— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF)
January 8, 2024
In the recording, a Gazan man twice asked an IDF officer, “When will you get rid of them (Hamas)?”
The officer responded: “Why should we get rid of them? Why don’t you get rid of them yourself?” The civilian said he could not get rid of Hamas, “because they kill us! They killed my cousin yesterday.”
The civilian told the officer that his cousin was killed “because he went to UNRWA”.
In the recording, the officer said: “That’s why we’re eliminating them (Hamas) in Jabalya, and that’s why we asked you (the civilians) to evacuate, to ensure nothing happens to you.”
In another conversation with officers from Unit 504, a Gazan who identified himself as a certified chef for a charity called “The American World Kitchen,” told the officer that Hamas operatives frequently stole food from UNRWA warehouses.
“Yes, it’s food. It’s not that they steal food, I wish they would steal (just) food, they steal from the warehouses of the agency (UNRWA).”
“When the supplies arrive, they try to steal.”
In a separate conversation, another civilian said he would not leave his home because he was worried that Hamas would seize it and use it as a rocket launch pad, which would destroy his house.
“Because our houses are on the frontline, you understand? We keep our houses so that no one takes them over.” He added: “They (Hamas) want them (homes) to get out through them, to break the walls and get out through them.”
“They want us to leave our homes so they can take control of them in order to shoot at you,” the Gazan said.
Hamas has previously stolen food from aid convoys arriving in Gaza and there has been footage of violent chaos at some UNRWA warehouses.
