Israel has halted aid supplies to Gaza for two days to prevent them being seized by Hamas, an official said on Thursday after images circulated of masked men on aid trucks whom clan leaders said were protecting aid,

The Higher Commission for Tribal Affairs, which represents influential clans in the enclave, said trucks had been protected as part of an aid security process.

Israel blocked aid deliveries to northern Gaza after claiming goods were being stolen by Hamas. Although some aid is still entering from the south, food availability remains hugely insufficient, with virtually the entire population of the strip at risk of famine: A UN spokesperson this week called Gaza “ the hungriest place on earth.