Insights into the attacks by right-wing Israelis on aid convoys in the Gaza Strip, who is behind them and who suffers as a result

Jerusalem — For months, images of Jewish settlers and right-wing extremists Attacks on aid convoys to Gaza have sparked outrage around the world. Photos and videos have been circulating on social media showing right-wing Israeli activists blocking aid trucks from crossing the war-torn Palestinian territorylooted the delivery trucks and threw relief supplies on the ground.

The attacks have drawn the ire of the White House, with US national security adviser Jake Sullivan telling reporters last month that it was “a complete scandal that there are people attacking and looting these convoys coming from Jordan and heading to Gaza to bring humanitarian aid.”

“We are evaluating the means at our disposal to respond,” Sullivan said. “We are also raising our concerns at the highest levels of the Israeli government and making no secret of the fact – this behavior is completely and utterly unacceptable.”

But it wasn’t just the relief supplies that were attacked. Physical violence also occurred.

In a video obtained by CBS News, Palestinian truck driver Mohsen Shaheen can be seen lying on the ground next to his vehicle, covered in blood, saying he was beaten by a group of settlers who mistakenly believed he was transporting aid to Gaza.

“The window of my truck was open and a settler came and sprayed me with pepper spray,” Shaheen told CBS News. “Then a rock or iron bar smashed the other window. It hit me in the face. There was blood everywhere… I thought I was going to die.”

Shaheen said the Israeli soldiers on the ground gave him little help.

Last month, Sapir Sluzker Amran, an Israeli peace activist who witnessed an attack by right-wing activists on an aid truck in the occupied West Bank, told CBS News a similar story.

Amran said a member of the far-right group slapped her when she tried to stop the attack on the aid trucks, and Israel Defense Forces personnel present at the scene refused to help her.

Amran also said that the right-wing extremists had frequently received information about humanitarian aid convoys from Israeli military and police officials.

“They know and therefore have information in advance about when the trucks are coming. They post this information on social media and in their groups, WhatsApp groups, and ask people to join in and block or damage the aid,” she said.

CBS News gained access to a WhatsApp group of one such group called “We Will Not Forget.”

It catalogued in detail how many trucks were in a convoy, which routes they would take and which border crossings they would pass through on a given day.

In one message, a chat member apparently explained where the information came from. “Methods of blocking actions: We receive preliminary information from border guards, police officers and soldiers,” the WhatsApp message said.

CBS News reached out to Israeli security forces for comment on allegations that some members had informed far-right groups that had blocked aid deliveries or failed to intervene in attacks on convoys. The Israeli military referred CBS News to the Israeli police, who said in a statement that the allegations were “to the best of our knowledge and belief” “baseless” and “unfounded rumors.”

Another message referred to Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s ultranationalist finance minister.

“For those who ask, the following information comes from Minister Smotrich, who wrote to the Prime Minister asking him why he approved aid to Gaza,” the text says.

Smotrich, an influential figure in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet, used his position in February to block a US-funded shipment of flour to Gaza, after he had previously baselessly claimed that the flour, which was to be handed over to the United Nations, would go to Hamas.

CBS News asked Smotrich for comment on allegations that he supported the extremist groups. The Treasury Secretary’s office flatly denied the request.

Opposing humanitarian aid to Gaza is not an entirely outlandish view in Israel. A poll conducted in March by Shiluv I2R, a leading Israeli pollster, found that 44 percent of Israelis believe the country “should make aid contingent on hostage release.”

22% said no aid should be provided until the war is over.

Yosef de Bresser is one of those who do not want aid to go to Gaza. He is one of the main organizers of the blockade movement and told CBS News that he has been arrested 12 times for obstructing aid to Gaza, but no charges have been brought against him so far.

“In every war there is someone who loses and someone who wins,” he said when asked why he thought it was right to block humanitarian aid to the Gaza population. “Either the people of Gaza die, or the people of Israel die… It’s black and white.”

After nearly nine months of devastating violence and destruction, the aid reaching desperate Palestinians in the Gaza Strip is still completely inadequate, according to aid organizations.

While attempts by settlers and activist groups to block these supplies have had limited impact, aid organizations say the real blockade comes from the Israeli government.

Several authorities say that Israel routinely and arbitrarily prevents the entry of legitimate humanitarian goods into Gaza through a highly complicated inspection and approval process and without clear or consistent instructions.

According to the UN, 1.1 million people – almost half of Gaza’s population – are currently facing catastrophic hunger and the territory is on the brink of famine.

Shaheen Mohsen says he has not been able to work since the attack and he does not believe he will receive justice.

“I don’t expect justice. The whole world sees that there is no justice,” he said.