Civil Unrest Erupts in Gaza as UN Food Warehouses Plundered
Thousands of individuals in the war-torn Palestinian territory of Gaza have ransacked United Nations (UN) food warehouses, leading to a collapse in civil order, warned the UN on Sunday. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) reported that vital supplies such as wheat and flour were looted from several warehouses. This alarming situation indicates the breakdown of civil order after three weeks of intense conflict and a strict blockade, revealed Thomas White, the Gaza chief of UNRWA.
Among the targeted warehouses was one located in the central town of Deir al-Balah, which stored humanitarian convoy supplies entering Gaza from Egypt since October 21. UNRWA stated that thousands of people broke into multiple warehouses and distribution centers in the middle and southern areas of the Gaza Strip, seizing wheat flour and essential survival items like hygiene supplies.
The conflict began on October 7 when Hamas militants breached the Gaza border, launching an attack in Israel that reportedly killed 1,400 people and kidnapped 230 others, according to Israeli officials. In response, Israel carried out a relentless bombardment, resulting in the death of over 8,000 individuals in Gaza, as claimed by the health ministry under Hamas rule. Shockingly, half of the casualties were children.
Compounding the dire situation, Israel imposed a total blockade on food, water, medicine, and fuel deliveries into Gaza, with the first convoy of humanitarian aid only entering two weeks later. Although 84 aid trucks have supposedly crossed into Gaza according to UNRWA, aid organizations argue that the numbers are grossly inadequate. Prior to the conflict, Gaza received an average of 500 truckloads of supplies daily, as per UN data.
The supplies available in the market are depleting rapidly, while the humanitarian aid arriving in the Gaza Strip from Egyptian trucks is insufficient, expressed White. He emphasized, The needs of the communities are immense, even for basic survival, yet the aid we receive is meager and inconsistent.
The situation demands urgent attention, with civilians in Gaza facing a dire shortage of essential items amidst the unrest and destruction. The UNRWA and other relief organizations are working tirelessly to provide assistance, but the substantial gap between the scale of need and the aid available poses a significant challenge.
The ongoing crisis in Gaza has ignited international concern, with numerous humanitarian organizations calling for immediate action. As the people of Gaza grapple with the devastating consequences of war, it is crucial for the global community to come together in solidarity and address the urgent needs of the population in this troubled region.
