Thousands of desperate Palestinians stormed a United Nations warehouse in central Gaza, seeking food amid a dire humanitarian crisis exacerbated by an 18-month war and a recent Israeli blockade. The World Food Programme (WFP) reported two possible deaths and several injuries in the chaos.
According to the WFP, “hordes of hungry people broke into WFP’s Al-Ghafari warehouse in Deir Al-Balah, Central Gaza, in search of food supplies that were pre-positioned for distribution.” Video footage showed crowds breaking into the warehouse, taking bags of flour and cartons of food as gunshots rang out. The origin of the gunshots remains unclear.
The incident highlights the deepening hunger crisis in Gaza, where food security experts warn that starvation is looming for one in five people. The WFP stated that humanitarian needs in Gaza have “spiralled out of control” following the almost three-month Israeli blockade, which was eased last week. “Gaza needs an immediate scale-up of food assistance. This is the only way to reassure people that they will not starve,” the programme emphasized.
Aid Distribution Dispute
The incident has sparked a blame game between Israel and the UN over aid distribution. Israel’s UN ambassador Danny Danon accused the UN of trying to block Gaza aid distribution, while the UN said it was doing its utmost to facilitate distribution of the limited assistance greenlit by Israel’s authorities. The controversy surrounds the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a private US-backed aid group that bypasses the UN-led system.
GHF Controversy
The GHF has set up four distribution centers in southern and central Gaza, aiming to prevent aid from being stolen by Hamas, which the armed group denies. However, the UN has criticized the GHF, citing concerns over its unworkability and ethics. Jonathan Whittall, head of the UN’s humanitarian office for the occupied Palestinian territories, noted that there’s no evidence Hamas is diverting aid coordinated through credible humanitarian channels. Instead, he pointed to criminal gangs allowed to operate near the Kerem Shalom crossing point in Gaza.
Casualties and Injuries
The WFP reported two deaths and several injuries in the warehouse incident, while 47 people were injured on Tuesday after people overran a GHF distribution site in Rafah. The UN has argued that a surge of aid, similar to the one during the recent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, would reduce the threat of looting by hungry people and enable the UN to utilize its well-established distribution network across Gaza.
International Response
UN Middle East envoy Sigrid Kaag described the current aid efforts as “comparable to a lifeboat after the ship has sunk” when everyone in Gaza faces the risk of famine. Israeli authorities reported that 121 trucks carrying humanitarian aid entered Gaza on Wednesday. Despite these efforts, Gazans remain pessimistic about the situation, with many calling for a ceasefire to alleviate the suffering.
Source: Africa Publicity
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