A U.S.-based Palestinian activist has accused Hamas of hoarding large quantities of baby formula and nutritional shakes intended for children in Gaza, allegedly to worsen starvation and promote a narrative of famine against Israel.
Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, an anti-Hamas activist, shared footage on social media purportedly showing hundreds of packages of infant formula and nutritional supplements inside a warehouse in Gaza. He claims the items were deliberately hidden to intensify hunger and shift public perception against Israel.
“During the worst days of the hunger crisis in Gaza over the past six months, Hamas deliberately hid tons of infant formula and nutritional shakes in secret warehouses tied to the Gaza Ministry of Health,” Alkhatib wrote on X. “The aim was to worsen the hunger crisis and strengthen the terror group’s famine narrative, in an effort to stop Israel’s military actions and reestablish control over UN aid distribution, moving it away from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation,” he added.
Warnings of potential famine in Gaza emerged earlier this year after a temporary cease-fire broke down in March, prompting Israel to restrict humanitarian aid into the Strip.
In the months that followed, images of widespread hunger drew global attention. The United States stepped in to establish the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) to distribute food, though the program faced challenges including frequent violence near distribution sites and Hamas warnings discouraging residents from collecting aid.
Alkhatib said Hamas exploited the hunger crisis, using civilians as leverage in its conflict with Israel. He called for accountability, emphasizing that compassion for Palestinian suffering can coexist with holding Hamas responsible for aggravating the starvation crisis.
Israeli officials have denied claims that the conflict caused famine, attributing localized hunger to Hamas looting. A UN Office for Project Services report found that armed gangs, rather than Hamas directly, were responsible for thefts of aid trucks during the summer.