The world turns a blind eye to the fact that millions of dollars in international aid simply do not reach the Palestinian civilian population in Gaza and are used instead by Hamas to build up military infrastructure and manufacture weapons.
The United Kingdom donated $80,000 of aid to World Vision, which was intended to help the civilians of Gaza build much-needed infrastructure and provide food and medical care to those in need. However, the Hamas terror organization, which rules Gaza, abused the funds and put the aid into building a military base, which was subsequently pocketed by the terrorists who constructed it.
“In this compound we have identified surveillance and observation capabilities facing north, towards Israel.” IDF Spokesperson Lt. Col. Peter Lerner said. “I can also tell you that in June 2015 we targeted components within the compound following a rocket attack against Israel.”
(IDF)
The base, code-named “Palestine,” was built for close-quarter combat training in the northern Gaza city of Jabalia, the third-largest Gazan city. The relatively large base is 600 by 200 meters, and is a short distance from residential buildings, as seen in an aerial map the IDF declassified.
Israel’s investigation of Hamas’ misuse of World Vision funds exposed that 60 percent of the charity group’s annual budget was funneled to terror activities by Mohammed el-Halabi, the Palestinian manager of the World Vision’s Gaza branch.
Some $43 M. of aid earmarked for agriculture, treatment for the disabled and public health was instead used by Hamas to buy weapons, build military bases and fund the construction of tunnels, which were used in the past to kidnap Israeli soldiers and stage attacks against Israel.
“This is by no means the first time that Hamas has diverted international aid away from the Gazan population to terrorist activities that endanger them. International aid to the Gaza Strip is at an all-time high; despite the funds and materials flowing into the strip, only 23% Palestinian homes damaged during Hamas’s last war with Israel have been rebuilt. Instead of reconstructing Gaza, Hamas spends hundreds of thousands of dollars a month on terror tunnel infrastructure and rearmament, which only puts more Gazan civilians at risk,” the IDF stated.
