The United States today announced sanctions against an extremist Israeli group accused of obstructing the delivery of humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza, a besieged and devastated territory after more than eight months of war.

The US State Department”today describes as violent Tzav 9, an extremist Israeli group, which blocks, harasses and destroys convoys carrying vital humanitarian aid for Palestinian civilians in Gaza“, as indicated in his announcement.

According to Washington, which is the first supporter of Israel, members of this group tried to prevent the transfer of humanitarian aid to Gaza “closing roads, sometimes violently, along the route between Jordan and Gaza, including the West Bank“.

The State Department specifically mentions May 13, when members of Tzav 9 looted and then set fire to two trucks near Hebron, in the West Bank, carrying humanitarian aid.”

“The Israeli government has a responsibility to guarantee the safety of humanitarian aid convoys passing through Israel and the West Bank en route to Gaza“, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasizes, stating that acts of sabotage and violence aimed at this necessary humanitarian aid cannot be “tolerated”.

In recent weeks, Israeli civilians have attacked trucks suspected of carrying food to Gaza, where humanitarian aid enters it is already tightly controlled by the Israeli authorities.