Foreign Affairs

Hamas Rejects Israeli Medical Aid For Palestinians, Refuses To Improve Israel’s ‘Black Image’

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Hamas leaders rejected much needed medical supplies from Israel, saying they would not accept help from their “murderers” or help them look benevolent.

Israeli authorities sent a shipment of medical aid across the Israeli-Palestinian border after Israel Defense Forces killed 60 Palestinians and wounded 2,400 others in the course of repelling Hamas-led attacks on the border fence Monday, according to The Associated Press. The Supreme Committee of the Great Return March, led by Hamas, refused the shipment, saying Israel was only “trying to improve its black image” and that the Palestinian people would not accept help “from the murderers of our people.”

Israel Defense Forces reported Tuesday that 24 of the 60 Palestinians killed during the violent protests were confirmed terrorists belonging to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Both U.S. and Israeli officials blamed Hamas for fomenting the violence along the border that led to Palestinian deaths. Israeli officials said Hamas used the protests against the move of the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem as cover for attacks along the border with the intent of storming Israel and killing as many Jews as possible.

Deputy White House press secretary Raj Shah gave a similar appraisal of the violence on Monday, saying Hamas was using the protests as a “propaganda attempt.”

“The responsibility of the tragic deaths rests squarely with Hamas,” Shah said during Monday’s White House press briefing. “Hamas is intentionally provoking this response. As the secretary of state said, Israel has the right to defend itself.”

Shah also said the “Israeli government spent weeks trying to handle this without violence.”

The Supreme Committee of the Great Return March stated it is intent on continuing the situation and that the protests will begin again on Friday.