Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Israeli media: Sirens blare in Arava in South, near Ramon Airport.
Egyptian PM Mostafa Madbouli: Egypt is targeted in plans to redraw regional map
AEOI Chief Mohammad Eslami: Our presence in IAEA General Council and fact-checking helped in preventing unilateral rhetoric that aims to portray Iran as an unregulated country
AEOI Chief Mohammad Eslami: We witnessed new, stricter stances from European countries since signing new agreement with IAEA
Saree: Our UAV force targeted the so-called Ramon Airport in the Umm al-Rashrash area in southern occupied Palestine
YAF spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree: Our rocket force carried out an operation with a Palestine 2 hypersonic ballistic missile targeting a sensitive target in the occupied Yafa area
Trump administration clears first Ukraine arms aid package paid for by allies: Reuters, citing sources
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman receives Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani at his office in Al-Yamamah Palace
Wakim: Surrender is not in our dictionary, and it is not true that "Israel" can implement its project in Lebanon and the region
Wakim: The US is preventing the armament of the Lebanese army. The question is, why are the weapons it is handed over by the Resistance being destroyed?

Truckers recount 'barbaric' settler attack on Gaza aid convoy

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: The Guardian
  • 17 May 2024 08:35
  • 3 Shares
4 Min Read

The incident, which unfolded in broad daylight, has rightfully sparked international condemnation, shedding light on the dire circumstances faced by Palestinians under Israeli occupation.

  • x
  • A worker clears piles of spilled food parcels scattered across the ground in a lorry park after Israeli settlers attacked Gaza aid trucks. (AFP/Getty Images)
    A worker clears piles of spilled food parcels scattered across the ground in a lorry park after Israeli settlers attacked Gaza aid trucks. (AFP/Getty Images)

Palestinian truck drivers delivering aid to Gaza recounted "barbaric" scenes as their vehicles were obstructed and vandalized by Israeli settlers, hindering the delivery of vital humanitarian supplies to a population facing severe hunger.

The attack, which occurred on Monday at the Tarqumiya checkpoint in the occupied West Bank, saw drivers and contractors targeted. They also asserted that Israeli soldiers escorting the convoy did nothing to prevent the assault.

The incident drew international condemnation after videos on social media showed Israeli settlers throwing boxes of essential supplies to the ground and setting at least one vehicle on fire.

Zionist settlers attack and destroy food on aid trucks headed for Gaza. pic.twitter.com/FDhiZjjRgp

— Lowkey (@Lowkey0nline) May 15, 2024

Zionist terrorists set fire to aid trucks full of food meant for Palestinian children.

These terrorists are not civilians, they are part of the genocidal siege, and they must be dealt with accordingly. pic.twitter.com/TcnZujcSeE

— Syrian Girl 🇸🇾 (@Partisangirl) May 16, 2024

Yazid al-Zoubi, 26, stated that the convoy consisted of 50 to 60 trucks.

"We were carrying oil, sugar, and other things and driving from the Tarqumiya crossing," he said, as quoted by The Guardian. "We left in a convoy with an army vehicle in front of us and an army vehicle behind us, and we took a special army road that civilians could not cross. Suddenly, after 20 minutes on the road, near the crossing, we were surprised by at least 400 settlers. They attacked us. The rest of the drivers and I escaped from the vehicles after the settlers starting throwing stones at us."

BREAKING: Settlers block Aid truck and ATTACK driver.

Much needed aid was headed to Gaza, where there's a severe food shortage and people have died of hunger.

Yesterday, Settler mobs destroyed Aid. Today they decided to beat up the driver.

These are "God's chosen people" pic.twitter.com/mP6tGetObf

— Khalissee (@Kahlissee) May 15, 2024

IOF at 'the service of settlers'

Zoubi recounted that the situation escalated when settlers began smashing the lorries' windscreens and puncturing their tires. They then climbed onto the vehicles and tossed food packages onto the road.

This comes although aid agencies have reported famine conditions in Gaza, attributing them to Israeli restrictions on aid entering the territory. Humanitarian officials state that Gaza's population requires at least 500 truckloads of food, fuel, and other essentials daily, but they have received only a small portion of that, with weeks going by without one truck of aid coming into the enclave.

During Monday's attack, Zoubi said the Israeli soldiers escorting the convoy stood by and watched as the settlers went on a rampage.

"Even though they were present and watching what was happening. The army was at the service of the settlers," he stressed.

Zoubi mentioned that the drivers initially fled the scene but were attacked by armed settlers when they returned later to collect their belongings.

"At that point the army gathered us and ordered us to raise our hands on the walls," he stated. "The settlers were free to terrorize us. I have never been attacked so brutally before."

"The state of terror I experienced is indescribable. Even now I have nightmares at night. My psychological state is broken, I cannot think properly, I can’t sleep. I cannot work. We are not smugglers. We agreed to transport goods legally from the crossing under the watch and supervision of the Israeli authorities."

'What happened is serious'

Haitham Abu Khairo, who was also part of the aid convoy and owned one of the vandalized trucks, reported losing approximately 250,000 Israeli shekels (£53,700) in the attack, as per The Guardian.

"I managed to escape but what happened is serious," he stressed.

The violence has reportedly led dozens of Palestinian drivers to refuse to transport supplies to Gaza. Adel Amer, a member of a West Bank haulers’ union, said, as quoted by Reuters, that around 15 trucks were damaged in the attack, with total damages amounting to approximately £1.6 million.

This month, the UK and EU imposed sanctions on Israeli settlers, including those accused of violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. The US has also sanctioned a few individuals and organizations connected to attacks on Palestinian civilians, with the initial measures announced in February and expanded twice in March and April.

Israeli police claimed that the incident is currently under investigation.

Not an isolated incident 

Monday's attack was claimed by a settler group called Order 9. This incident is not the first attempt by Israeli settlers to obstruct the flow of much-needed aid to Gaza amid the ongoing genocide. Last week, demonstrators blocked a road near the desert town of Mitzpe Ramon in protest against aid lorries entering Gaza.

Settlers attacked and injured a Palestinian and burned his truck north of Ramallah after thinking he was carrying aid to the Gaza Strip pic.twitter.com/GiYFOIl0yN

— cheri⁷ 🔻 (@jinsjiddies) May 16, 2024

Throughout this year, violence frequently broke out at crossings from "Israel" into Gaza, disrupting aid shipments to the territory. In March, the International Court of Justice instructed "Israel" to ensure unimpeded access of food aid into Gaza.

Read next: 68% of Israeli settlers oppose humanitarian aid to Gaza: Poll

  • Palestinian truckers
  • war on Gaza
  • Israeli aggression
  • Gaza aid
  • Gaza genocide
  • Israeli occupation
  • settler attack
  • aid trucks
  • famine in Gaza
  • aid convoys
  • settlers violence
War on Gaza

War on Gaza

Most Read

Pro-"Israel" conservative Charlie Kirk shot during Utah speech

American far-right activist Charlie Kirk shot dead during Utah speech

  • US & Canada
  • 11 Sep 2025
Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza.

Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza

  • Politics
  • 12 Sep 2025
A screengrab from the ad played on Fox News. (X Screengrab)

Fox airs ad warning Trump not to let Netanyahu 'play' him on Gaza

  • US & Canada
  • 11 Sep 2025
Lapid: Egypt’s Arab Force plan a 'severe blow' to normalization

Lapid: Egypt’s Arab Force plan a 'severe blow' to normalization

  • Palestine
  • 14 Sep 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Britain Trained Israeli Soldiers Involved in Gaza War: Declassified
Europe

UK training of Israeli officers sparks outcry over Gaza war complicity

Luxembourg's Prime Minister Luc Frieden arrives for an EU summit at the European Council building in Brussels, Thursday, June 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)
Politics

Luxembourg to recognize Palestine at UN summit next week

European Union flags flap in the wind outside EU headquarters in Brussels, Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025 (AP)
Politics

EU exec. branch to adopt new sanctions against 'Israel' on Wednesday

Charlie Kirk killing suspect faces charges in Utah court hearing
US & Canada

Charlie Kirk murder suspect faces formal charges in Utah court hearing

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS