‘A fake narrative’: Footage of ‘bustling’ Gaza markets counter Hamas starvation claims

While asserting “aid is flowing in, by land and by air every day,” COGAT asserted that “Hamas is pushing a fake famine narrative” while stealing the aid and selling it at a large mark-up.

The Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories shared footage on Monday of bustling markets with large quantities of food to counter Hamas’s accusations that Israel is deliberately causing a famine in the Gaza Strip.

The footage shows fresh produce being sold, along with pastry shops being open.

While asserting “aid is flowing in, by land and by air every day,” COGAT asserted that “Hamas is pushing a fake famine narrative” while stealing the aid and selling it at a large markup.

“Bitter truth: Hamas is starving its own people. They steal the food, hoard the aid, and sell it at sky-high prices,” COGAT said. “The food is there. The aid is there. Hamas just keeps it from those who need it most.”

The COGAT video was released after Hamas released videos of emaciated hostages, claiming that they were being subjected to the same starvation as the rest of the Gaza Strip over an apparent lack of resources being transferred to the Gaza Strip.

Claims of famine in Gaza

Additionally, the IDF confirmed on Monday that as part of the cooperation between Israel, the UAE, Jordan, Egypt, Germany, Belgium, and Canada, the IDF and COGAT led a series of actions aimed at improving the humanitarian response in the Gaza Strip. As part of the efforts, 120 aid packets were dropped across the Gaza Strip.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a US-backed group, has been transferring food to the Gaza Strip after Hamas stole aid from humanitarian groups working in the Gaza Strip.

While GHF and Israel have denied there is famine in the Gaza Strip, Hamas-run authorities have complained of widespread hunger. Hamas authorities have also alleged that more than a thousand people were killed at GHF aid sites, an accusation denied by both GHF and Israel.