In a statement, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said it has
reluctantly had to pause aid deliveries to north Gaza until
conditions are in place that allow for safe distributions.
“The decision to pause deliveries to the north of the Gaza Strip
has not been taken lightly, as we know it means the situation
there will deteriorate further and more people risk dying of
hunger,” the agency said.
It added that it is “deeply committed” to urgently reaching
desperate people across the war-torn enclave “but the safety and
security to deliver critical food aid – and for the people
receiving it – must be ensured”.
In December, the UN and humanitarian partners had warned of the
risk of famine in northern Gaza by May unless conditions there
improved decisively.
The situation is particularly dire for children, pregnant women
and new mothers, with one in six children acutely malnourished.
‘Facing gunfire and explosive anger’
WFP said that its deliveries to northern Gaza had resumed on
Sunday after a three-week suspension following the strike on an
UN Palestine relief agency (UNRWA) truck and due to the
absence of a functioning humanitarian notification system.
On Sunday, as one of its convoys moved towards Gaza City, it was
surrounded by crowds of hungry people close to the Wadi Gaza
checkpoint.
“First fending off multiple attempts by people trying to climb
aboard our trucks, then facing gunfire once we entered Gaza City,
our team was able to distribute a small quantity of the food
along the way,” the UN agency said.
On Monday, the second convoy’s journey north faced “complete
chaos and violence” due to the collapse of civil order, WFP
added, noting that several trucks were looted between Khan Younis
and Deir al Balah and a truck driver was beaten.
“The remaining flour was spontaneously distributed off the trucks
in Gaza city, amidst high tension and explosive anger.”
Urgent effort to restore aid
In the statement, WFP emphasized that it will seek ways to resume
deliveries in a responsible manner as soon as possible.
It underscored the need “significantly” higher volumes of food
coming into the Gaza Strip from multiple routes, and for crossing
points to the north of Gaza to be open.
“A functioning humanitarian notification system and a stable
communication network are needed. And security, for our staff and
partners as well as for the people we serve, must be
facilitated,” the agency said.
“Gaza is hanging by a thread and WFP must be enabled to reverse
the path towards famine for thousands of desperately hungry
people.”
Evacuations from Nasser hospital
Meanwhile, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) continued evacuating
patients from the Nasser hospital complex in Khan Younis, amid
continuing Israeli military operations and access restrictions.
The health agency led two successful missions, evacuating 32
critical patients, including two children, from the complex on
Sunday and Monday.
The high-risk missions were conducted in close partnership with
the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) and the UN Office for
the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
The situation at the hospital continues to remain dire.
It has no electricity or running water, and medical waste and
garbage are creating a breeding ground for disease., WHO said.
Staff said the destruction around the hospital was
“indescribable”, noting that the area was surrounded by burnt and
destroyed buildings, heavy layers of debris, with no road
accessible roads.
