14th June, 2024
By Kazeem Ugbodaga
The United States, U.S., on Friday sanctioned Tzav 9, a violent extremist Israeli group that has been blocking, harassing, and damaging convoys carrying life-saving humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
A statement issued by Matthew Miller, Spokesperson, U.S. Department of State, lamented that for months, individuals from Tzav 9 had repeatedly sought to thwart the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, including by blockading roads, sometimes violently, along their route from Jordan to Gaza, including in the West Bank.
“They also have damaged aid trucks and dumped life-saving humanitarian aid onto the road. On May 13, 2024, Tzav 9 members looted and then set fire to two trucks near Hebron in the West Bank carrying humanitarian aid destined for men, women, and children in Gaza.
“The provision of humanitarian assistance is vital to preventing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza from worsening and to mitigating the risk of famine,” Miller said.
Miller added that the Government of Israel has a responsibility to ensure the safety and security of humanitarian convoys transiting Israel and the West Bank enroute to Gaza.
“We will not tolerate acts of sabotage and violence targeting this essential humanitarian assistance. We will continue to use all tools at our disposal to promote accountability for those who attempt or undertake such heinous acts, and we expect and urge that Israeli authorities do the same,” he stated.
Miller said the Department is sanctioning Tzav 9 pursuant to section 1 (a)(i)(A) of Executive Order (E.O.) 14115, for being responsible for or complicit in, or having directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in actions—including directing, enacting, implementing, enforcing, or failing to enforce policies—that threaten the peace, security, or stability of the West Bank.