Dozens of U.N. meals vehicles have been blocked and offloaded by Palestinians within the Gaza Strip as desperation mounts following Israel’s monthslong blockade, whereas talks of a ceasefire inch ahead.
The U.N. Meals Program mentioned Saturday that 77 vehicles carrying assist, largely flour, have been stopped by hungry individuals who took the meals earlier than the vehicles have been capable of attain their vacation spot.
“After nearly 80 days of total blockade, communities are starving – and they are no longer willing to watch food pass them by,” the WFP mentioned in an announcement. “This delivery is a start, but it’s not nearly enough.”
Displaced Palestinians, together with ladies and youngsters residing in tents, obtain meals distributed by assist organizations in al Mawasi district of Khan Yunis, Gaza on Could 30, 2025.
Abed Rahim Khatib/Anadolu by way of Getty Photos
A virtually three-month Israeli blockade on Gaza has pushed the inhabitants of practically 2.3 million individuals to the brink of famine. Whereas the strain barely eased in latest days as Israel allowed some assist to enter, organizations say there nonetheless isn’t practically sufficient meals getting in.
The United Nations has known as Gaza the “hungriest place on Earth.”
“To restore home, ease fear, and prevent further chaos, we must flood communities with food – now,” the WFP mentioned. “Only consistent, large-scale aid can rebuild trust.”
A witness within the southern metropolis of Khan Younis instructed The Related Press the U.N. convoy was stopped at a makeshift roadblock and offloaded by determined civilians of their 1000’s. Most individuals carried baggage of flour on their backs or heads. He mentioned at one level a forklift was used to dump pallets from the stranded vehicles. The witness spoke on situation of anonymity due to worry of reprisal.
Folks carry their sacks of flour distributed by charities in Khan Yunis, Gaza, the place there’s a meals disaster as a consequence of Israeli assaults on Could 31, 2025.
Abed Rahim Khatib/Anadolu by way of Getty Photos
Hamas on Friday mentioned it was reviewing a U.S.-led proposal for a short lived ceasefire that Israel has already accepted. President Trump mentioned that negotiators have been nearing a deal.
The United Nations mentioned earlier this month that Israeli authorities have pressured them to make use of unsecured routes inside areas managed by the Israeli navy within the japanese areas of Rafah and Khan Younis, the place armed gangs are energetic and vehicles have been stopped.
Israel’s navy didn’t instantly reply for remark.
An inside doc shared with assist teams about safety incidents, seen by the Related Press, mentioned there have been 4 incidents of services being looted in three days on the finish of Could, not together with the convoy on Saturday.
The scenario in Gaza highlights the rising desperation and pressing want for humanitarian help within the besieged enclave.
Abed Rahim Khatib/Anadolu by way of Getty Photos
The U.N. says it’s been unable to get sufficient assist in due to combating. On Friday, U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric mentioned it solely picked up 5 truckloads of cargo from the Palestinian facet of the Kareem Shalom crossing, and the opposite 60 vehicles needed to return as a consequence of intense hostilities within the space.
An Israeli official mentioned his nation has supplied the U.N. logistical and operational help however “the U.N. is not doing their job.” As an alternative, a brand new U.S- and Israeli-backed basis began operations in Gaza this week, distributing meals at a number of websites in a chaotic rollout. Israel says the Gaza Humanitarian Basis will substitute the huge assist operation that the U.N. and others have carried out all through the conflict.
It says the brand new mechanism is critical, accusing Hamas of siphoning off massive quantities of assist. The U.N. denies {that a} important diversion takes place.
Cindy McCain, the WFP’s govt director, instructed “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” final Sunday that there isn’t any proof to help Israel’s claims that Hamas is answerable for the looting of their assist vehicles.
“These people are desperate, and they see a World Food Programme truck coming in, and they run for it,” she mentioned. “This doesn’t have anything to do with Hamas or any kind of organized crime, or anything. It has simply to do with the fact these people are starving to death.”
Smoke and mud rising over the destroyed and closely broken residential areas following the Israeli assaults within the northern Gaza Strip are seen from the Gaza-Israel border area on Could 31, 2025.
Tsafrir Abayov/Anadolu by way of Getty Photos
In the meantime, Israel is constant its navy marketing campaign throughout Gaza.
The Gaza Well being Ministry mentioned that not less than 60 individuals have been killed by Israeli strikes within the final 24 hours. It mentioned three individuals have been shot by Israeli gunfire early Saturday morning within the southern metropolis of Rafah. Three different individuals have been killed, mother and father and a toddler, when their automotive was struck in Gaza Metropolis.
The conflict started when Hamas terrorists attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing round 1,200 individuals, most of them civilians, and taking 250 hostages. Of these taken captive, 58 stay in Gaza, however Israel believes 35 are lifeless, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has mentioned there are “doubts” concerning the destiny of a number of others.
Israeli strikes have killed greater than 54,000 Gaza residents, largely ladies and youngsters, in keeping with the Hamas-run Gaza Well being Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants in its tally.
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