Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a sharp rebuke of Hamas on Saturday after a U.S. military drone video surfaced appearing to show suspected operatives of the group looting a truck carrying humanitarian aid intended for Gaza civilians.
The footage, released by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), shows armed individuals attacking the driver of an aid truck on Friday, dragging him to the median of a road, and then fleeing with the vehicle and its cargo.
“Hamas continues to deprive the people of Gaza of the humanitarian aid they desperately need,” Rubio wrote on X. “This theft undermines international efforts in support of President Trump’s 20 Point Plan to deliver critical assistance to innocent civilians.”
Rubio said Hamas remains “the impediment”, accusing the group of obstructing relief operations meant for noncombatants. “They must lay down their arms and stop their looting so that Gaza can have a brighter future,” he added.
According to CENTCOM, the truck was part of a humanitarian convoy carrying supplies from international partners to residents of northern Khan Younis. The incident was recorded by the Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) using a U.S. MQ-9 drone monitoring compliance with the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel.
CENTCOM confirmed on X that “operatives attacked the driver and stole the aid and truck after moving the driver to the road’s median,” adding that the driver’s current status remains unknown.
Nearly 40 nations and international organizations are working through the CMCC to coordinate humanitarian, logistical, and security support for Gaza.
“Over the past week, international partners have delivered more than 600 trucks of commercial goods and aid into Gaza daily,” CENTCOM stated. “This incident undermines these efforts.”
The CMCC, established on October 17 in southern Israel, serves as the central hub for Gaza aid and stabilization efforts. The facility includes an operations floor to track real-time developments inside the region.
Data released in August by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) indicated that much of the aid entering Gaza had been looted within the territory itself, further complicating international relief efforts.
