UN food agency halts aid to north Gaza amid violence
The United Nations' World Food Programme has halted "life-saving" food deliveries to northern Gaza due to continued gunfire by Israel and the breakdown of civil order. The suspension, which began three weeks ago following an attack on an aid truck, increases the risk of starvation in the region. The WFP said it attempted deliveries again this week but faced gunfire and hostility. Gaza has been facing an unprecedented crisis since October, amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
Why does this story matter?
The WFP's decision to suspend aid would hit humanitarian relief efforts, as it is the main organization supplying food assistance to displaced people. This comes as the United States (US) vetoed the latest UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The White House said the Algerian-proposed resolution would "jeopardize" talks to end the war. To recall, at least 29,092 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes since October 7, when Hamas launched an attack inside Israel.
Desperation, violence disrupt aid deliveries: WFP
The WFP, which has warned that 2.3 million people in Gaza face famine-like conditions, said its teams saw "unprecedented levels of desperation" in the north. It said the decision to stop aid in northern Gaza was taken after its crew faced gunfire, looting and crowd. According to reports, one man died, and many others were injured during these incidents. A viral video of the aftermath of one such incident shows Palestinian children scooping up spilled flour from the ground.
Decline in aid trucks entering Gaza
Aid delivery suspensions in the north coincided with a significant decrease in aid trucks entering Gaza overall. The UN Office for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that the average number of aid trucks entering Gaza dropped from 140 per day in January to 60 per day in February. OCHA spokesperson Eri Kaneko attributed the decline to "the lack of security and breakdown of law and order," including targeted killings of Gaza police commanders guarding truck convoys.
UNRWA says Israel denied access to northern Gaza
Meanwhile, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), claimed that Israel had denied 51% of planned missions to deliver aid to northern Gaza. The UN agency said that "food insecurity north of Wadi Gaza has reached an extremely critical state." Last month, the UNRWA's humanitarian work was hit after nine donor countries including the US halted its funding following allegations that some of its staff members were involved in the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel.
