A motorcade of 109 trucks was looted on Nov. 16 after entering the , resulting in the loss of 98 trucks in what aid workers said were the worst such incidents in the 13-plus months of war, an official with the UN agency said. refugees (UNRWA) to Reuters.
The convoy carrying food provided by UNRWA and the World Food Program was instructed, at the last minute, by Israel to depart via an unknown route from the Kerem Shalom crossing, UNRWA official Louise Wateridge told Reuters.
“This incident highlights the seriousness of the challenges in terms of access for the transport of aid to southern and central Gaza,” she said, adding that the incident resulted in injuries.
“The urgency of the crisis is not something that can be considered an exaggeration. Without immediate intervention, severe food shortages are set to worsen, further endangering the lives of over two million people who depend on humanitarian aid for their survival,” she said.
The World Food Program and COGAT, the Israeli military agency that handles relations with the Palestinians, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The agency says it is doing everything it can to ensure that enough aid gets into the coastal enclave and that Israel does not prevent humanitarian aid from entering.
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