A convoy of 109 trucks that entered Gaza was violently looted on Saturday, and 98 trucks were lost, according to a senior official from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees. The incident is among the worst during the ongoing Israeli assault on the enclave, now over 13 months.
Louise Wateridge, UNRWA’s senior emergency officer, said the convoy of food supplies from UN agencies was rerouted at short notice through an unfamiliar path from the Karem Abu Salem crossing. She spoke about how difficult it was to provide aid during that incident: “This incident underlines the severity of access challenges in bringing assistance into southern and central Gaza.” Injuries were also reported during the looting.
It is a dire situation where over two million people depend on humanitarian assistance to live. If nothing urgent is done, disastrous food shortages may deteriorate further and thus put many lives in the region at risk. Hamas condemned the looting and threatened to bring severe consequences upon those guilty of it; Israel claims it permits humanitarian aid into the territory.
However, a UN official cited that access for aid has reached a critical low, especially in northern Gaza, where areas like Jabalia and Beit Hanoon are said to have been cut off from food supplies for over a month now, following renewed Israeli assaults. Experts warn that famine is looming large in the north, according to UN estimations citing between 75,000 to 95,000 residents remaining under heavy bombardment.
Moreover, Israel has prohibited UNRWA from functioning in the country due to alleged links with Hamas. Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini outlined that this is an urgent matter since “there is no plan B,” while the agency faces significant challenges in continuing its humanitarian work.
