Gaza Aid Trucks Looted Amid Desperation, UN Warns of Chaos
A convoy of 109 United Nations aid trucks carrying vital food supplies was attacked and looted in Gaza on Saturday, according to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). Masked assailants, armed and throwing grenades, forced drivers to unload their cargo at gunpoint after the trucks entered Gaza via the Kerem Shalom crossing, which is under Israeli control.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini described the incident as one of the most severe disruptions to humanitarian aid in recent memory, underscoring the “total breakdown of civil order” in Gaza. He emphasized the dire consequences for two million residents who are reliant on aid to survive.
Aid Theft Sparks Chaos
Out of 109 trucks, 97 were seized. Eyewitnesses recounted harrowing scenes of masked men ambushing the convoy. Although the perpetrators were not officially identified, Lazzarini highlighted the lawlessness in Gaza, where factions and local groups vie for control amid the crisis.
The looting left UNRWA facilities empty, leading desperate crowds to storm a vocational center in Khan Younis, wrongly believing aid had been delivered there. Lazzarini stated, “It has become impossible to operate in such an environment.”
Severe Food Shortages Loom
The attack comes as Gaza faces an escalating humanitarian crisis. A recent UN-backed assessment warned that famine is imminent in parts of northern Gaza. Aid deliveries have plummeted, with fewer trucks entering Gaza in recent weeks than at any time since the war began in October 2023.
The situation worsened after Israeli forces launched a major ground offensive in northern Gaza. Aid groups have accused Israel of obstructing relief efforts, though Israeli authorities deny these claims.
Efforts to Combat Looting
Gaza’s Hamas-led Interior Ministry reported killing over 20 individuals involved in looting during a coordinated operation with local tribal committees. However, the broader security situation remains grim, with reports of increasing violence among local gangs and factions.
Israel’s military body overseeing humanitarian aid in Gaza, COGAT, acknowledged challenges in distributing aid but insisted it was cooperating with international organizations to improve delivery. Meanwhile, UNRWA issued a strong statement accusing Israeli authorities of failing to uphold their legal responsibility to ensure aid reaches civilians.
The Broader Impact of War
As humanitarian efforts falter, civilian casualties continue to rise. On Monday, Palestinian officials reported over 30 deaths from Israeli airstrikes, including families and children. One attack in northern Gaza killed 17 members of a single family, including relatives of a hospital medic.
Israel’s military campaign began in response to Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023, which left over 1,200 Israelis dead and 251 taken hostage. Since then, Gaza’s health ministry estimates over 43,920 fatalities in the territory.
As the conflict rages on, humanitarian organizations face mounting obstacles in providing relief, leaving millions of Gazans on the brink of catastrophe.
