An Israeli activist group named Tzav 9 has been attacking aid shipments bound for the Gaza Strip and had a fundraising campaign on the JGive platform, raising over $87,000 from more than 1,480 donors. The group’s goal was to block aid until all hostages taken during Hamas’ attack on southern Israel were released. The campaign page urged supporters to join Tzav 9 and help fund their efforts to block aid convoys from reaching Hamas. However, following a request for information from Newsweek, JGive deplatformed Tzav 9 due to the group’s actions against humanitarian aid and pending a state investigation into the incidents.
Tzav 9’s fundraising page on JGive had been active for several months, despite some members of the group being arrested. The platform’s terms of use prohibit content that encourages criminal or civil offenses, but the page had been accepting donations in Israeli shekels and U.S. dollars. After Newsweek brought attention to the fundraising drive, JGive took action to deplatform Tzav 9. The group’s official website still linked to the defunct JGive page, indicating a disconnect between the organization’s online presence and fundraising capabilities.
The conflict in Gaza has been ongoing for seven months, with Israel seeking to eradicate Hamas and gain control over the territory. More than 35,000 Palestinians have been killed, leading to concerns about future developments in the region. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing internal conflict within his wartime cabinet over postwar plans for Gaza, including the potential resettlement of Palestinian civilians, the re-establishment of Israeli settlements in the territory, and expansion in the West Bank.
The lack of a clear plan for postwar Gaza is generating tension between Israel and its international allies, particularly the United States. President Joe Biden and his administration have expressed strong opposition to forced Palestinian relocations, West Bank settlements, and the re-establishment of Israeli military occupation. Recent attacks on aid convoys in Gaza by Tzav 9 and other groups have heightened frustration in the White House, with National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan describing the actions as “a total outrage” and promising to address the issue with the Israeli government.
Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported that Tzav 9 would suspend its protests following violent attacks on aid trucks, but the group later announced plans to resume its efforts to prevent aid from reaching Hamas. The ongoing conflict over humanitarian aid in Gaza underscores the complexities of the situation and the challenges of finding common ground between the various parties involved. Newsweek remains committed to challenging conventional wisdom and seeking connections in the search for common ground amid the ongoing turmoil in the region.
