Palestinian authorities in Gaza said on Friday that they found narcotic pills inside flour bags sent from the United States to the Israeli-besieged enclave.

 

In a statement, Gaza’s government media office said people discovered Oxycodone, a strong prescription painkiller, inside the flour bags they received from aid distribution points run by the US in Gaza. Officials warned that the pills may have been crushed or mixed into the flour on purpose, which they called a serious threat to public health.

 

The media office blamed Israel for what it called a “heinous crime” meant to spread addiction and break apart Palestinian society from within. The statement said using drugs like this is part of the ongoing genocide against Palestinians and called it a “soft weapon in a dirty war against civilians.”

 

Israel has recently set up four aid distribution points in southern and central Gaza. According to Israeli media, the plan is to encourage Palestinians to move from northern Gaza to the south. However, this plan was opposed by the international community and the UN, which see it as a way for Israel to get around the normal UN aid process.

 

Since May 27, Israeli forces have killed at least 549 Palestinians and wounded over 4,000 near aid centers and UN food trucks. Despite global calls for a ceasefire, Israel’s military genocide in Gaza has continued since October 2023, killing more than 56,300 Palestinians, most of them women and children.

 

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. 

 

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its actions in the enclave.