Gaza: The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has announced a pause in the delivery of aid through Kerem Shalom, the primary crossing point for humanitarian assistance into Gaza.
According to Emirates News Agency, Philippe Lazzarini, the UNRWA Commissioner-General, revealed this decision via his official X account, formerly known as Twitter. Lazzarini stated, “We are pausing the delivery of aid through Kerem Shalom. The road out of this crossing has not been safe for months. On 16 November, a large convoy of aid trucks was stolen by armed gangs. Yesterday, we tried to bring in a few food trucks on the same route. They were all taken.”
Lazzarini emphasized that the decision to halt aid deliveries is made amidst a growing hunger crisis. He stressed that humanitarian aid deliveries should not pose danger or become an ordeal for those involved. The Commissioner-General further elaborated that the humanitarian operation in Gaza has been rendered nearly impossibl
e due to several factors including an ongoing siege, restrictions imposed by Israeli authorities, political decisions limiting aid, unsafe routes, and the targeting of local police.
These challenges have resulted in a breakdown of law and order, according to Lazzarini. He asserted that it is the responsibility of the State of Israel, as the occupying power, to ensure the protection of aid workers and supplies, and to facilitate the safe flow of aid into Gaza without attacking humanitarian workers.
