Hamas Threatens Gaza Aid Workers, Calls U.S. Relief Centers ‘Death Traps’

Hamas and allied terrorist groups have escalated their campaign against humanitarian efforts in Gaza, issuing dire threats to aid workers distributing U.S.-supplied food packages and warning residents against engaging with American-run aid centers. In a chilling statement, the groups branded these centers “death traps,” accusing the U.S. of luring starving civilians with “false promises from the occupation” only to subject them to daily “massacres.” The threats coincide with a new aid distribution plan that bypasses Hamas’s control, delivering over 140,000 weekly food packages directly to Gaza’s 2 million civilians, a move that has provoked the terror group’s wrath after months of siphoning aid for its own use.

Hamas claimed the U.S. aims to dismantle the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and reduce the Palestinian cause to a mere humanitarian issue, alleging this aligns with President Donald Trump’s policies to enable “forced displacement and ethnic cleansing.” “Participating in enemy plans could provoke a severe response,” the statement warned, intensifying fears for the safety of relief workers already operating in perilous conditions. In the past 24 hours, Hamas-affiliated militants have directly targeted aid personnel, even executing a Gazan civillian.

The threats follow Hamas’s execution of Gazan protesters demanding an end to the 20-month war, sparked by the terror group’s October 7, 2023, attack that killed 1,195 Israelis and took 251 hostages. By maintaining tight control over Gaza, Hamas has historically diverted aid to fund its military operations, leaving civilians in dire need. The new distribution strategy, supported by international partners, seeks to empower local communities, but Hamas’s violent backlash underscores its determination to retain dominance. Relief agencies have paused some operations, fearing attacks on distribution centers, while the international community condemns Hamas’s tactics as a deliberate effort to weaponize hunger against its own people.