INTERNACIONAL
Hamas faces ‘legitimacy crisis’ as desperate Gazans flock to US-backed aid centers
The terrorist group known as Hamas has long plagued the Gaza Strip but is facing a point of crisis as its influence and support, which was already far from sweeping, continues to drop amid internal pressure to end the war and return the hostages taken during the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks.
«Hamas’s current posture reveals a critical inflection point in its grip over the Gaza Strip,» Joe Truzman, a senior research analyst and editor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies «Long War Journal» and an expert on Palestinian terrorist groups, told Fox News Digital. «By opposing the new aid distribution mechanism, one that is coordinated by the U.S. and Israel, Hamas is signaling that its primary concern is not the well-being of Palestinians but the preservation of its authority.»
Despite the monthslong aid blockade on the Gaza Strip by Israel and the images of starvation, Hamas this week threatened any Palestinian civilians who accept food aid for their families and warned they «will pay the price, and we will take the necessary measures.»
Displaced Palestinians line up pans to collect hot food from a charity food distribution center in Gaza City, northern Gaza, on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. (Photographer: Ahmad Salem/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
HAMAS TERROR GROUP REPORTEDLY BUCKLING UNDER FINANCIAL STRAIN AMID ISRAELI MILITARY GAINS AND GROWING UNREST
Despite the threats, Palestinians have flooded the aid sites erected by the U.S.-Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), reportedly resulting in scenes of chaos as desperate civilians overran one distribution location on Tuesday. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said its «troops fired warning shots in the area outside the compound,» adding, «Control over the situation was established … and the safety of IDF troops was not compromised.»
The U.N. Human Rights Office claimed some 47 people were injured during the gunfire, while the Hamas-run health ministry said one person was killed and 48 others were wounded, reported the BBC, though Fox News Digital could not independently verify the casualty count.
On Wednesday, GHF said in a statement that, contrary to reports, no Palestinians have been questioned or detained while receiving aid. Additionally, GHF said that no Palestinians had been shot or killed while trying to get aid.
«As we have repeatedly cautioned, there are many parties who wish to see GHF fail. Their goal is to force a return to the status quo, even if it means risking lifesaving aid to the people of Gaza,» the GHF said in a statement. «Reports to the contrary originated from Hamas and are inaccurate.»
Truzman explained that it is in Hamas interest to portray the aid delivery as negatively as possible, and to use the chaos to promote its return to power.
«Hamas had significant influence over aid flows, which it used not only for governance but also as leverage to reinforce loyalty, reward patronage networks, and maintain internal control,» the expert explained. «The erosion of this influence poses both a symbolic and operational threat to the group.
«With Hamas becoming sidelined from the aid process, the group is facing a legitimacy crisis,» Truzman added.
Despite the chaotic scenes that arose as aid finally returned to Gaza, the GHF said Tuesday that it had distributed about 8,000 food boxes totaling 462,000 meals so far.
Displaced Palestinian children wait to receive a free meal from a charity food distribution center in Gaza City, northern Gaza, on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. (Photographer: Ahmad Salem/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
On Wednesday, eight trucks worth of aid were delivered, which equates to some 378,262 meals.
«Operations will continue to scale up tomorrow,» the GHF confirmed.
One Gazan told the Center for Peace Communications that the failure of Hamas, which serves as the local government, to secure affordable and accessible food has driven civilians to the American distribution site.
«In fact, they were good to us,» he said. «They were handing out rations cards and started to tell us to take them. Unlike those ruling Gaza who don’t do anything for us.
«We, as a people, are telling you that we need anyone, anyone who can provide us with these necessities,» he added. «Otherwise, no one would be going to the American distribution point. If Hamas is listening to us, get off the people’s backs.
«The people are dying,» the man added.
ISRAELI AMBASSADOR SLAMS UN’S ‘MAFIA-LIKE’ TACTICS AGAINST US-BACKED GAZA FOUNDATION
In recent months, civilian populations have not only been turning to external actors for relief where possible, they have increasingly called on Hamas to return the hostages, stop the war and even leave the Gaza Strip.
«This shift undermines Hamas’s image as the authority in Gaza and exposes its weakened state,» Truzman said.
«However, any assumption that Hamas might yield under these conditions must be tempered by the nature of its surviving leadership,» he warned. «Those who remain at the helm are among the most ideologically entrenched and militarily committed members of the organization.»
Hamas took over the Gaza Strip in 2007 after it defeated its rival party, Fatah, which is part of the Palestine Liberation Organization.
Despite the plurality vote nearly two decades ago, Hamas has struggled to maintain control and stability for years and its support – even in the lead up to the 2023 attacks that prompted the largest-ever war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza – was reportedly lacking and its leadership growing increasingly unpopular.
British volunteer doctor Victoria Rose, left, is seen working at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, Gaza, on May 25, 2025. ((Photo by Alaa Y. M. Abumohsen/Anadolu via Getty Images)
ISRAEL BLOCKS HUMANITARIAN AID INTO GAZA AFTER HAMAS REJECTS CEASEFIRE EXTENSION PROPOSAL
Israel and Egypt have limited the flow of goods into the Gaza Strip for the last two decades, and border crossing restrictions have been heavily enforced since the 1980s. Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2025.
However, according to a report by the Wilson Center, only a fraction of the population prior to the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks blamed food shortages on external factors like sanctions, while a third blamed the Hamas-run government for mismanagement, while another quarter of the population blamed inflation.
The report also found that nearly half of Palestinian civilians said they had no trust in Hamas’ leadership, while roughly a third of the population threw their support behind the group.
Support is believed to have dropped in the nearly 600 days that followed the Oct. 7, 2023 terror attacks, and the subsequent devastation brought to the Gaza Strip.
Displaced Palestinians wait to receive a free meal from a charity food distribution center in Gaza City, northern Gaza, on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. (Photographer: Ahmad Salem/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
«If the new aid mechanism succeeds in improving living conditions for Palestinians, surpassing what Hamas has been able to provide during wartime, it is unlikely to reverse the growing public dissatisfaction with the group,» Truzman told Fox News Digital. «Even an imperfect but externally managed aid system may further expose Hamas’s governance failures, particularly its prioritization of power retention over the welfare of the population.
«While tangible improvements will take time to materialize, the mere perception that life can improve without Hamas may be enough to shift public attitudes further against the group,» he added.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that U.S. sanctions on Cuba are tied to political change on the island, as the country faces widespread blackouts, unrest and a worsening economic crisis.
«Suffice it to say that the embargo is tied to political change on the island,» Rubio told reporters at the White House. «The law, it’s been codified. And, but the bottom line is their economy doesn’t work. It’s a nonfunctional economy. It’s an economy that has survived.… That thing they have, has survived on subsidies from the Soviet Union and now from Venezuela. They don’t get subsidies anymore. So they’re in a lot of trouble. And the people in charge of them don’t know how to fix it. So they have to get new people in charge.»
Rubio’s comments come as Cuba faces a deepening energy crisis that has fueled protests and instability.
A nationwide power grid collapse left roughly 10 million people without electricity, according to U.S. Embassy statements and Cuban authorities.
PROTESTERS TORCH COMMUNIST PARTY HQ IN CUBA AS VIDEO APPEARS TO CAPTURE GUNFIRE
People walk on the street during a blackout in Havana, March 16, 2026. (Ramon Espinosa/AP)
President Donald Trump indicated his administration is actively engaged.
«Cuba right now is in very bad shape. They’re talking to Marco,» Trump told the reporters, «We’ll be doing something with Cuba very soon.… We’re dealing with Cuba.»
Trump escalated his rhetoric against Cuba Monday, saying he expected to have the «honor» of «taking Cuba in some form» and that «I can do anything I want» with the neighboring country.
A senior State Department official rejected claims that U.S. sanctions are responsible for the humanitarian situation, saying, «Widespread blackouts have sadly become common for many years in Cuba — a symptom of the failing regime’s incompetence and inability to provide even the most basic goods and service for its people.»
«This is the tragic result of over 60 years of Communist rule,» the official added. «An island that was once the crown jewel of the Caribbean has plunged into extreme poverty and darkness.
«As President Trump has said, what is left of the regime should make a deal and finally let the Cuban people be free and prosperous, with the help of the United States,» the official told Fox News Digital.
TRUMP DECLARES NATIONAL EMERGENCY OVER CUBA, THREATENS TARIFFS ON NATIONS THAT SUPPLY OIL TO COMMUNIST REGIME
Protesters gather outside a Communist Party headquarters in Morón, Cuba, as a fire burns in the street during overnight unrest. Video obtained by Fox News Digital appeared to show demonstrators attempting to set fire to the building amid protests linked to widespread blackouts. (Reuters)
Cuban human rights activist Rosa María Payá argued that the current crisis reflects systemic collapse inside the regime, not external pressure.
«The blackout is the regime’s collapse made visible: 65 years of totalitarianism finally consuming itself,» Payá told Fox News Digital. «The protests are Cubans refusing to disappear into that darkness.»
She rejected claims that U.S. sanctions are driving the humanitarian situation.
«Cubans are not suffering because of American policy,» she said. «They are suffering because of a dictatorship. Pressure on the regime works. What hurts the Cuban people is legitimizing it.»
«The only way to end the humanitarian catastrophe is to end the regime,» Payá added. «That’s the demand of the Cuban people.»
Recent blackouts and shortages have been linked to failures at key infrastructure, including the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric power plant, as well as fuel shortages following U.S. actions to curtail oil shipments from Venezuela, one of Cuba’s primary energy suppliers.
At the same time, Pentagon officials told lawmakers there are no plans to invade Cuba, even as they described it as a long-standing security concern.
Joseph Humire, performing the duties of assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense and Americas security affairs, said he was «not familiar with any plans on Cuba» when asked during a House Armed Services Committee hearing Tuesday.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Riot police walk the streets after a demonstration against the government of President Miguel Diaz-Canel in Arroyo Naranjo Municipality, Havana, on July 12, 2021. (Yamil Lage/AFP)
He described Cuba as «one of the strongest intelligence adversaries that we’ve had in the United States,» adding that Cuban officials have operated across the region and were «defending Nicolás Maduro… in Caracas» during past operations.
Cuba’s government has blamed U.S. sanctions for worsening the crisis, while U.S. officials argue it stems from decades of economic mismanagement and reliance on foreign subsidies.
cuba,marco rubio,secretary of state,state department,donald trump
INTERNACIONAL
‘Deeply disturbing’ animal cruelty operation involving baby monkeys busted by ICE investigation
Trump Cabinet teams up to end animal abuse
Attorney General Pam Bondi, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. discuss why animal cruelty is so important to end on ‘My View with Lara Trump.’
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) investigation in Florida busted a «deeply disturbing» illegal animal cruelty operation involving baby monkeys by U.S. citizen Francisco Javier Ravelo.
According to the Justice Department, Ravelo, 36, pleaded guilty in federal court to distributing videos depicting the torture of both adult and baby monkeys that involved mutilation and burning. The DOJ said Ravelo personally distributed more than 40 torture videos and that his actions violated the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act, which was signed into law by President Donald Trump during his first term.
Ravelo now faces up to seven years in prison.
The DOJ said the animal cruelty scheme was exposed by an investigation by ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), which is the primary criminal investigations arm of the Department of Homeland Security.
ORGANIZED AND TECHNOLOGICAL: ICE RESISTANCE GROUPS POSING GROWING DANGER, WARNS FORMER TOP NSA, DHS OFFICIAL
An investigation by ICE Homeland Security Investigations led to U.S. citizen Francisco Javier Ravelo pleading guilty to distributing videos depicting the torture of both adult and baby monkeys that involved mutilation and burning. (Arnulfo Franco/AP Photo; ICE)
Jason Reding Quiñones, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, called the case «deeply disturbing» and evidenced a willingness on the part of Ravelo to «inflict suffering without remorse.»
«As a former state court trial judge who presided over domestic violence cases, I was trained to recognize lethality factors, warning signs that violence is escalating. Deliberate cruelty to animals is one of the clearest red flags,» he said. «It reflects a willingness to dominate, torture, and inflict suffering without remorse.»
Quiñones condemned Ravelo’s actions in no uncertain terms, calling it a «serious federal crime» that he said «fuels a market built on brutality.»
Adam Gustafson, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, commented that «if you are involved in this sadistic activity, we will prosecute you.»
Meanwhile, Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said that while Ravelo «didn’t count on HSI being able to track him down, pull together evidence and present it to the judge … now he knows better.»
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT FROM VENEZUELA LEARNS SENTENCE FOR BITING ICE AGENT, WITH INJURY SEEN IN PHOTO
Screenshots taken by ICE of a video distributed by Ravelo depicting the torture of a monkey. (ICE)
«Homeland Security Investigations pieced together the case that led to Ravelo’s guilty plea,» said Lyons, adding, «I hope this serves as a warning to others who acquire or distribute this kind of content: HSI will find you, and you’ll end up in federal court just like Ravelo did.»
Upon signing the PACT Act in 2019, Trump said, «It is important that we combat these heinous and sadistic acts of cruelty, which are totally unacceptable in a civilized society.»
Trump said that the passage of the PACT Act was «something that should have happened a long time ago.»
This year, Trump also launched a new multi-agency initiative to strengthen enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act, specifically targeting chronic puppy mill violators and dogfighting rings. The move was commended by Humane World for Animals.
DHS NABS AFGHAN MAN ADMITTED UNDER BIDEN AFTER CONVICTION FOR EXPOSING HIMSELF TO MINOR
President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in Washington. (Evan Vucci/AP Photo)
In a statement announcing the initiative, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said that Trump administration agencies are «taking historic actions» to hold chronic pet welfare violators accountable.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
The agency said the initiative «will boost compliance with existing laws, protect our companion animals,» and reiterates that the Trump administration «stands with the majority of Americans» who are pet owners.
homeland security,pets,donald trump,justice department,police and law enforcement,florida
INTERNACIONAL
Sin la OTAN y con críticas internas, Trump analiza opciones para reabrir el estrecho de Ormuz y terminar la guerra de Irán
Donald Trump comienza a percibir el riesgo de un empantanamiento en la guerra en Medio Oriente.
Sin el respaldo de la OTAN y con un ruido interno difícil de esconder después de la renuncia y las explosivas declaraciones del director del Centro Nacional de Contraterrorismo Joseph Kent, el presidente estadounidense ve cómo se le cierran las opciones para reabrir el estrecho de Ormuz y declarar el fin del conflicto.
Leé también: Israel lanzó una operación terrestre “limitada” en el sur del Líbano para eliminar las amenazas de Hezbollah
Kent dejó al descubierto el descontento que se expande no solo en el gobierno, sino también en las filas republicanas y en especial en el movimiento MAGA (“Make America Great Again”) que apoyó a Trump por sus promesas de alejar a Estados Unidos de cualquier conflicto internacional y su lema “America first” (”Estados Unidos primero»).
“Irán no representaba una amenaza inminente contra nuestra nación, y está claro que iniciamos esta guerra a causa de la presión de Israel y su poderoso lobby estadounidense”, escribió Kent en X.
Fue una bomba interna que hizo mucho ruido en la Casa Blanca.
La respuesta fue la esperada. Trump calificó de “débil” a Kent y afirmó: “No lo conocía bien, pensé que parecía un tipo bastante agradable, pero cuando leí su declaración, me di cuenta de que es algo bueno que se haya ido, porque dijo que Irán no era una amenaza. Irán era una amenaza”.
También apuntó contra sus socios de la OTAN, la alianza atlántica que soportó su presión y dejó en claro que no participará en maniobras para reabrir el estrecho de Ormuz, virtualmente cerrado por Irán y por donde pasa el 20% del crudo y el gas licuado natural del mundo.
“Creo que la OTAN está cometiendo un error realmente estúpido”, afirmó. “Ante el hecho de que hemos tenido tanto éxito militar, ya no ‘necesitamos’ ni deseamos la ayuda de los países de la OTAN: ¡NUNCA LA NECESITAMOS! ¡NO NECESITAMOS LA AYUDA DE NADIE!”, apuntó.
Cuáles son los caminos que tienen Trump para reabrir el estrecho de Ormuz
Trump sabe que no puede declarar el fin de la guerra más allá de sus rotundos éxitos militares desde el aire. Si Irán, acorralado y debilitado, no libera el estrecho de Ormuz, el mundo corre el riesgo de caer en una crisis energética y comercial de consecuencias profundas.
El analista Mehran Kamrava, profesor de ciencias políticas de la Universidad de Georgetown de Qatar, dijo a TN que “las opciones de Trump para mantener abierto el Estrecho de Ormuz son limitadas”.
Un barco turco logró pasar por el estrecho de Ormuz tras lograr el permiso de las autoridades iraníes, que lo mantienen bloqueado. (Foto: EFE – Tasnim News)
“Cerrar el estrecho es relativamente fácil. Sin embargo, dada su estrechez, es fácil hostigar o incluso atacar a los barcos que lo atraviesan. Mantenerlo abierto es mucho más difícil. Las opciones de Trump son escasas, y tampoco son muy favorables desde su perspectiva”, afirmó.
Al respecto, señaló: “Puede intentar desembarcar tropas en alguna de las islas iraníes del Golfo Pérsico, como Kharg, Qeshm, Kish o alguna de las islas menores. Estados Unidos también podría intentar seguir debilitando a la armada iraní lo máximo posible. Aparte de estas dos opciones, no parece que Estados Unidos tenga muchas alternativas“, alertó.
El tiempo pasa en un año electoral y la campaña se acerca peligrosamente para los republicanos. Las elecciones de medio tiempo están pautadas para el 3 de noviembre y ningún candidato oficialista quiere lidiar con una guerra.
Lo que parecía un conficto breve se extiende en forma peligrosa. Irán, con la simple estrategia de crear caos bombardeando a países del Golfo y cerrando el estrecho de Ormuz, mantiene abierta una guerra de difícil resolución.
Leé también: La “batalla del agua” en Medio Oriente: monarquías del Golfo temen ataques iraníes a plantas desalinizadoras
“Algunos de los aliados (de Trump) creen que el presidente ya no controla cómo ni cuándo termina la guerra. Temen que los ataques de Irán contra petroleros en el estrecho de Ormuz estén acorralando a Trump en una situación en la que intensificar el conflicto – e incluso, potencialmente, enviar tropas estadounidenses- se convierta en la única manera de proclamar una victoria creíble”, escribió el medio estadounidense Político.
Una fuente cercana a la Casa Blanca, citada por el sitio, definió: “Claramente les dimos una paliza a Irán en el campo de batalla, pero, en gran medida, ahora ellos tienen la sartén por el mango”.
“Ellos deciden cuánto tiempo estaremos involucrados y deciden si enviamos tropas sobre el terreno. Y no me parece que haya forma de evitarlo si queremos salvar las apariencias”, afirmó.
Analistas estadounidenses creen que la única manera de garantizar la apertura del estrecho es a través del despliegue de tropas en franjas de territorio iraní. Es un escenario de pesadilla para los republicanos en campaña. Temen que la guerra se convierta en un conflicto interminable en Medio Oriente que tanto criticó el presidente en el pasado.
Jack Posobiec, aliado de Trump, dijo que a Washington le quedan opciones antes de lanzar una invasión: puede detener petroleros iraníes, lanzar ciberataques y poner en la mira a activos financieros iraníes.
“Esto también aumenta el nivel de escalada, pero no necesariamente requiere tropas sobre el terreno”, dijo citado por Político.
Pero Trump tiene que lidiar también con cuestiones internas. La renuncia de Kent causó ruido en el gobierno. Un funcionario anónimo citado por The Washington Post expresó su admiración por Kent y su desánimo por el curso de la guerra: “Todo el mundo está harto de esta mierda”, dijo.
Más allá de sus declaraciones grandilocuentes, a Trump le pasan los días y el conflicto sigue sin solución a la vista. La guerra puede convertirse en una pesada ancla para el presidente en un año electoral en el que se definirá cómo será el segundo tramo de su mandato.
Donald Trump, Israel, Irán
Reforma electoral: el Gobierno no descarta modificar las PASO y busca negociar cambios con gobernadores y aliados
Mercados: acciones y bonos argentinos volvieron a las subas en una rueda positiva de Wall Street
Canales para ver el San Lorenzo vs. Defensa y Justicia por el Torneo Apertura
Rubio says Cuba needs ‘new people in charge’ as blackouts, unrest grip island
‘Deeply disturbing’ animal cruelty operation involving baby monkeys busted by ICE investigation
Homicidios viales: comienza el debate para endurecer las penas a quienes maten por manejar con irresponsabilidad
TRAICIÓN Y ÉXODO: La promesa rota de Monteoliva que desató una ola masiva de bajas en la Policía Federal
La fuerte exigencia a Mauro Icardi para poder ver a sus hijas con Wanda Nara: “A Maurito se lo va a multar si no lleva a las menores al colegio”
BOMBAZO – Guerra abierta: Feinmann y Rossi contraatacan tras la denuncia de Victoria Villarruel
Insólito: un esquiador británico terminó la Copa del Mundo de Oslo bajo los efectos del alcohol
POLITICA20 horas agoTRAICIÓN Y ÉXODO: La promesa rota de Monteoliva que desató una ola masiva de bajas en la Policía Federal
- INTERNACIONAL1 día ago
Insólito: un esquiador británico terminó la Copa del Mundo de Oslo bajo los efectos del alcohol
- POLITICA2 días ago
Adorni dijo que la presencia de su mujer en la comitiva presidencial “no fue un delito, fue un error”
