Humanitarian aid to Gaza, contrary to some misconceptions, is not primarily being pilfered by Hamas, according to the UN.
In the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, the delivery and distribution of aid have become a subject of intense debate.
A report published by the Office of the Inspector General of USAID in 2024 raised concerns about the potential misuse of USAID-funded aid in Gaza by armed groups, including Hamas. However, a subsequent report published by USAID in 2025 concluded that the agency found no evidence of widespread Hamas theft of US-funded humanitarian aid.
The Israeli government, on the other hand, claims that Hamas loots most of the international aid sent to Gaza for its own benefit. This assertion is not backed by evidence from the second USAID report published in 2025. The Israeli army claims, based on intelligence reports, that Hamas has diverted up to 25% of aid supplies for its own fighters or to be resold at a profit to Palestinian civilians.
Israel's blockade on Gaza has created an unpredictable environment where communities lack confidence that aid will reach them. As a result, many convoys are offloaded directly by starving, desperate people.
The exact statistics on the number of aid trucks delivered to the Gaza Strip and the resulting losses are reported by hospitals, eyewitnesses, and local health ministries controlled by Hamas, such as the Gaza Health Ministry and hospitals like Nasser Hospital and Shifa Hospital. There is no single dedicated organization listed as officially tracking these precise statistics comprehensively.
The United Nations, through UN2720, has not asserted that most of this aid was diverted by Hamas. Instead, UN2720 states that the intercepted trucks were taken either peacefully by hungry people or forcefully by armed actors. Contrary to claims made by some pro-Israel internet users, the United Nations has never made a claim that Hamas steals 87% of humanitarian aid.
Reuters reports that it has not been able to independently verify the statements made by the Israeli army and Hamas regarding aid diversion. Olga Cherevko, from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, stated that the vast majority of the looting in Gaza is being carried out by hungry Gazans, not by armed gangs.
The Israeli government's blockade on Gaza was partially eased at the end of May. From May 19 to August 22, UN270 revealed that 4,659 trucks carrying humanitarian aid entered Gaza, and 4,107 trucks were intercepted, representing 88% of the total number of aid trucks sent. This is significantly lower than the 87% claimed by some pro-Israel internet users.
Despite the ongoing controversies, it is clear that the people of Gaza continue to suffer from a lack of basic necessities. The international community must work towards ensuring that aid reaches those who need it most, and that it is not diverted or misused.
