The US Central Command released MQ-9 drone footage it says shows suspected Hamas operatives seizing a humanitarian aid truck near Khan Younis and leaving the driver unconscious; the driver's status is unknown. Centcom said its Civil-Military Coordination Centre observed looting of a truck traveling with an international convoy. Hamas denies involvement, while analysts point to vehicles in the video as possible indicators. The UN reports a sharp fall in aid interceptions since the ceasefire, and Israel currently controls about 53% of Gaza.
US Releases MQ-9 Drone Footage Alleging Hamas Seized Humanitarian Aid Truck Near Khan Younis
The US Central Command released MQ-9 drone footage it says shows suspected Hamas operatives seizing a humanitarian aid truck near Khan Younis and leaving the driver unconscious; the driver's status is unknown. Centcom said its Civil-Military Coordination Centre observed looting of a truck traveling with an international convoy. Hamas denies involvement, while analysts point to vehicles in the video as possible indicators. The UN reports a sharp fall in aid interceptions since the ceasefire, and Israel currently controls about 53% of Gaza.
22:50, 02.11.2025Conflict
US releases drone footage alleging Hamas seized aid truck near Khan Younis
The US Central Command (Centcom) has published MQ-9 drone footage that it says shows suspected Hamas operatives seizing an aid truck in southern Gaza and removing the driver, who was left motionless in the road median. Centcom said the driver's current status is unknown.
Centcom said its newly established Civil-Military Coordination Centre observed suspected operatives looting an aid truck traveling as part of a humanitarian convoy delivering assistance from international partners to Gazans in northern Khan Younis. The footage was captured by an MQ-9 drone operating over Gaza as part of the US effort to monitor the ceasefire.
Gen Dan Caine, the US chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was visiting Israel at the time of the release. Centcom has also set up a multinational liaison headquarters in Israel to coordinate civil-military efforts related to humanitarian access and security.
Marco Rubio, a US senator, shared the footage online and said the incident showed Hamas depriving civilians of vital assistance and undermining international relief efforts. He called on the group to stop looting and lay down its arms so humanitarian aid can reach those in need.
Hamas has denied involvement. Analysts, residents and some Gaza experts pointed to details in the video — notably a type of pickup truck frequently seen with armed groups in the area — as possible indicators of the group's responsibility. Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, a Gaza native now based in the US, described the vehicles as those used by local armed enforcers.
The United Nations reports a sharp reduction in looting since the ceasefire came into effect. UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric told reporters that roughly 5% of collected supplies were intercepted between Oct 10 and Oct 28, compared with more than 80% intercepted between May 19 and Oct 9.
On the ground, Israel currently controls approximately 53% of Gaza, while Hamas continues to exert control over most urban areas west of the so-called 'yellow' ceasefire line. The majority of Gaza's population also lives west of that line.
Separately, under the ongoing ceasefire, Hamas handed over remains it said belonged to three more hostages. Israeli officials said earlier transfers did not match several of the remaining deceased captives and have accused Hamas of delays in returning bodies; Hamas says it is struggling to locate remains amid wide-scale destruction.
Context and verification: Claims in the released footage and public statements by military and political figures remain contested and have not been independently verified by this report. The release highlights ongoing tensions over humanitarian access, accountability for looted supplies, and the complex security environment in southern Gaza.