Palestinians are selling water they looted from humanitarian aid trucks at the border with Egypt in Rafah on November 20, 2023, according to an AP report.
On November 16, a convoy of 109 trucks was violently looted upon entering Gaza, resulting in the loss of 98 trucks. This incident, described by aid workers as one of the worst in the ongoing 13-month conflict, was confirmed by an UNRWA aid official to Reuters on Monday.
The convoy, carrying food supplied by UN agencies UNRWA and the World Food Programme, was instructed by Israel to depart at short notice via an unfamiliar route from the Kerem Shalom crossing, according to Louise Wateridge, UNRWA Senior Emergency Officer. "This incident underscores the significant challenges in delivering aid to southern and central Gaza," she said, noting that injuries were reported during the looting.
Wateridge emphasized the urgency of the crisis, stating, "Without immediate action, severe food shortages are expected to intensify, putting the lives of over two million people who rely on humanitarian aid at even greater risk."
The WFP and COGAT, the Israeli military agency responsible for Palestinian civilian affairs, did not respond promptly to requests for comment. The agency asserts that it makes every effort to ensure sufficient aid enters the coastal enclave and that Israel does not obstruct the delivery of humanitarian assistance.
A UN aid official reported on Friday that access to deliver aid in Gaza had reached a critical low, with deliveries to the besieged northern parts of the enclave becoming nearly impossible.
Source link: https://www.khaleejtimes.com
