Remember this photo? It shows Hamas policemen guarding an aid truck as it reaches the UNRWA logistics base in Rafah. (“If they go into Rafah, I’m not supplying the weapons,” President Biden said about Israel.) Two of the men on the truck have their faces covered; the one in the front is holding a baton but is not wearing any kind of uniform. I first saw this photo in a Daily Mail article by @dpatrikarakos. The source is the Rafah police department's Facebook page. The photo was uploaded there on January 10, 2024. I have so many questions that were never answered: Does UNRWA have a formal contract with Hamas for this protection, or is the arrangement more of a handshake deal? Is it normal that Hamas guys wear civilian clothes and cover their faces when dealing with humanitarian aid? Is it safe to assume that Hamas takes some of the aid for its fighters? Did Israeli hostages in Gaza receive any of the aid? How much of the aid is hoarded and sold for high prices? How much fuel did Hamas take from the fuel truck that is visible inside the compound? I also like the question that David Patrikarakos asked in his article: "Even if UNRWA does not officially work with Hamas, but needs local security forces who answer to it to guard aid deliveries, how can it be sure that aid is distributed to refugees and not according to Hamas interests?" I like to explain it this way: Everyone knows that UNRWA employs "locals" in Gaza. Who do you think the locals are?
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