The near-daily Israeli airstrikes on unrelated targets in Syria continued today when a multi-rocket drone strike hit a distribution center for humanitarian aid in the village of Shinshar on the highway between Homs and Damascus.
Reports are that the rockets were fired at a convoy of trucks headed to the site. This also lead to initial reports that the target was a “military site linked to Iran,” and while that doesn’t appear to be the case, pro-Israeli social media still insist the site or the trucks are somehow in league with Iran and/or Hezbollah.
Shinshar is a relatively small Sunni village, so it wouldn’t make much sense for Shi’ite Hezbollah to set up a military site there. The site’s location does make it ideal for humanitarian aid distribution though. On the highway between the major cities of Homs and Damascus, Shinshar is also right next to the road to Qusayr city, which has a major border crossing. Lebanese refugees probably pass by Shinshar on their way elsewhere.
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Israeli army allows 'systematic looting' of Gaza aid shipments: Report
The Israeli army has been permitting the looting of humanitarian aid trucks by desperate gunmen and “gangs” upon their entry into the Gaza Strip, Haaretz newspaper reported on 11 November.
The gunmen have been blocking roads through which trucks enter the strip via the Kerem Shalom border crossing, according to the report. The area is under the complete control of Israeli forces, who “turn a blind eye,” it adds.
“Since some of the aid groups refuse to pay protection money, the aid often ends up sitting in warehouses that are under Israeli army control,” Haaretz wrote.
“The armed attacks take place just a few hundred meters away from Israeli troops. Some aid groups say attacked truck drivers have even sought help from the IDF, but the army has refused to intervene. Moreover, they say, the army bars them from taking alternate roads that are considered safer,” it cited sources in Gaza as saying.
“I tried everything. We wanted to travel through other roads, but the IDF forbade us,” said a senior aid official in the strip.
As per the report, other aid groups end up agreeing to pay the protection fees.
Horse posted on 2024-11-12 09:46:04 Reply Private Reply