The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, announced on Sunday that it will be halting aid deliveries through the main cargo crossing into the Gaza Strip due to the threat of armed gangs looting recent convoys. This decision is expected to exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, especially as the winter season approaches and hundreds of thousands of Palestinians rely on international food aid.
Philippe Lazzarini, the head of UNRWA, cited the dangerous conditions on the Gaza side of the Kerem Shalom crossing as the primary reason for suspending aid deliveries. He mentioned that armed men had looted nearly 100 trucks in mid-November, with additional thefts occurring more recently. Kerem Shalom is the only crossing between Israel and Gaza designed for cargo shipments and has been crucial for aid deliveries since the closure of the Rafah crossing with Egypt in May.
Lazzarini attributed the breakdown of humanitarian operations in Gaza to Israeli policies, including restrictions on the amount of aid allowed into the territory and the targeting of the Hamas-run police force. However, COGAT, the Israeli military department responsible for aid transfers, denied hindering humanitarian relief and instead blamed delays on inefficiencies within the United Nations.
Efforts to broker a ceasefire and secure the release of hostages in Gaza have been ongoing, with the Biden administration expressing a commitment to pursuing a deal in its final weeks in office. Meanwhile, president-elect Donald Trump has vowed to end the wars in the Middle East, although his specific plans remain unclear.