UN suspends food aid in Gaza amid chaos, violence

The United Nations' World Food Programme (WFP) announced on Tuesday that it has temporarily suspended its aid deliveries to northern Gaza due to safety concerns, as convoys faced gunfire and looting amidst a deepening humanitarian crisis.

The WFP had halted its operations for three weeks but attempted to resume food deliveries on Sunday. However, the convoy was met with significant challenges, including desperate attempts by locals to access food and incidents of violence.

The Rome-based agency reported facing "complete chaos and violence due to the collapse of civil order," underlining the severe desperation for food and safe water in Gaza.

The agency had planned daily food deliveries for a week, but the deteriorating security situation disrupted these plans. The convoys were overwhelmed by individuals attempting to board the trucks and by gunfire once in Gaza City.

On Monday, the situation worsened with several trucks being looted and a driver assaulted, leading to an emergency distribution of flour in Gaza City amidst heightened tension and frustration.

The WFP emphasized the gravity of suspending aid, acknowledging that this would likely worsen the already critical situation in Gaza, where food scarcity has been a growing issue since the onset of the conflict with Israel.

Source: Newsroom