The International Commission (ICSPR) Warns of Escalating Chaos and the Spread of Looting and Armed Robbery of Aid and Property in Gaza, and Holds the Occupation Fully Responsible for the Collapse of Security and Humanitarian Conditions

Date: May 2, 2025

Press Release

The International Commission (ICSPR): Warns of Escalating Chaos and the Spread of Looting and Armed Robbery of Aid and Property in Gaza, and Holds the Occupation Fully Responsible for the Collapse of Security and Humanitarian Conditions

The International Commission to Support Palestinian Rights (ICSPR) expresses its deep concern over the increasing incidents of theft, looting, and armed robbery of humanitarian aid, as well as attacks on properties, international institutions, charitable associations, and commercial shops in the Gaza Strip. These developments signal a dangerous slide into security chaos and widespread disorder amid the ongoing prevention of humanitarian aid access and the continuation of the Israeli aggression and genocide, which has lasted for more than a year and a half. This aggression includes systematic policies of extermination, starvation, destruction of vital infrastructure, and obstruction of aid delivery, along with the deliberate targeting of the justice system, security agencies, and law enforcement personnel. The goal is to turn Gaza into an uninhabitable disaster zone rife with crime, chaos, insecurity, and internal conflict, as part of an occupation strategy aimed at dismantling civil peace and forcing the population into displacement.

ICSPR expresses deep concern and condemnation regarding the series of theft and looting incidents that took place during the past week. These include the armed robbery in Al-Shati market carried out by a masked group who seized goods and citizens’ property at gunpoint; the killing of Mahmoud Al-Mallahi, a driver of a truck transporting aid, who was shot while delivering food supplies to community kitchens in Deir al-Balah, after which the truck and its contents were looted; the armed robbery of the “Gaza Al-Ezza Kitchens” warehouse in the north, which used to provide over 30,000 meals daily and has now nearly ceased operations; the looting of the UNRWA premises (Industry Section); the theft of a bakery in Al-Shati Camp; and the looting of the “Dughmosh” facility belonging to the Ministry of Social Development. In addition, more than nine aid warehouses and charitable associations were looted during the past week.

It is important to note that these crimes were carried out in an organized and systematic manner by masked, armed groups accompanied by vehicles used to transport the stolen goods. This negates the claim that these acts are spontaneous and solely driven by the spread of famine. Although some acts were accompanied by citizen gatherings and limited participation in looting, the scale and organization suggest the involvement of criminal networks whose goals deepen chaos, instability, and humanitarian collapse, obstruct the work of international institutions, and serve the Israeli occupation’s agenda of spreading violence, insecurity, and weakening civilian resilience.

While ICSPR emphasizes the importance of confronting these shameful crimes and holding perpetrators accountable, it calls on the relevant official authorities to take urgent action to curb these serious incidents by activating mechanisms of community policing and transitional justice, including cooperation with political, community, and civil society components.

At the same time, ICSPR warns of the danger of individuals taking the law into their own hands in light of some groups announcing intentions to carry out field executions and shoot those accused of theft. Such actions threaten human rights principles and the rule of law, and pose a grave threat to social cohesion.

ICSPR reiterates its warning of worsening humanitarian and economic crises and the spread of famine due to the Israeli genocide, collective punishment, and the targeting of law enforcement personnel and the justice system. These violations have contributed to catastrophic humanitarian deterioration and widespread lawlessness. ICSPR holds the Israeli occupation legally and morally responsible for the humanitarian, security, and living collapse in the Gaza Strip as the occupying power under international law, and it demands the following:

1. ICSPR affirms that the crime of seizing humanitarian aid and obstructing its delivery to those in need is unjustifiable under any circumstances. It is a major factor in deepening the humanitarian crisis and poses a serious threat to civil peace and social stability. Such actions must be prevented and perpetrators held accountable.

2. ICSPR calls on the government authorities and law enforcement officials in Gaza to work with all national and community actors to form popular protection committees to support police operations. These committees should function within defined limits to compensate for weakened official protection mechanisms and establish new, integrated community-based protection systems. This would help prevent the Israeli occupation from achieving its goals of spreading crime, chaos, and internal violence.

3. ICSPR urges national and community efforts, in cooperation with private sector representatives, to combat monopolies, reduce price hikes, lower transfer commissions and cash access costs, and ensure fair distribution and protection of humanitarian aid and the premises of international and humanitarian organizations. This would contribute to the continuity of their operations and the resilience of the population.

4. ICSPR calls on the international community, the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions to take immediate steps to stop the genocide and Israeli aggression, to open crossings permanently and safely, and to provide secure land, sea, and air humanitarian corridors. These corridors must ensure the delivery of aid in accordance with international humanitarian law obligations, particularly Articles 55 and 56 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, and provide international protection for civilians while holding Israeli leaders accountable before international justice for policies of starvation and forced displacement.