A convoy of humanitarian aid from the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees was attacked by Israel in Gaza. The UN denounces the conditions under which humanitarian aid is delivered, which contravene international law.
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said on Friday that the Israeli army had fired on one of its aid convoys in the Gaza Strip, without causing any casualties, and denounced the conditions under which aid was being delivered to Gaza.
“Israeli soldiers fired on an aid convoy as it returned from northern Gaza, using a route designated by the Israeli army. Our international convoy leader and his team were not injured, but a vehicle was damaged,” said Unrwa’s Gaza director Thomas White on X (formerly Twitter).
“Aid workers should never be a target,” he added. A source at UNRWA told AFP that the incident took place on Thursday afternoon.
Questioned by AFP, the Israeli army said it was “verifying” this information.
“The quantity of aid being delivered, which is urgently needed, continues to be limited and is encountering numerous logistical obstacles,” denounced Unrwa Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini in a statement.
“This is not the time to exchange accusations and promote misinformation”, he added.
On December 19, Israeli President Isaac Herzog accused the United Nations of not making enough “effort” to get more aid trucks into the Gaza Strip.
Six days later, Cogat, the Israeli Defense Ministry body that coordinates the army’s “civilian activities” in the occupied territories, made similar accusations on X, directly challenging Mr. Lazzarini.
“International law is very clear: the State of Israel, as the occupying power, must ensure that the population has access to basic services”, insisted Lazzarini, recalling that “all parties to the conflict must facilitate access to humanitarian aid for those in need”.
“Food, water, fuel and all other humanitarian aid must never be used as a weapon of war”, he concluded.
On X, the UN’s head of humanitarian operations, Martin Griffiths, also strongly criticized the conditions under which aid was being delivered to Gaza.
“Convoys targeted by gunfire. Delays at crossing points”, he wrote.
He denounced the fact that humanitarian workers are “themselves displaced, killed”, and recalled that “the traumatized” and “exhausted” population is crammed onto “an ever-diminishing plot of land”.
“Three levels of inspections before trucks can enter. Confusion and long queues. A growing list of rejected products”, he also lamented.
Warning of “an impossible situation for the people of Gaza and for those helping them”, Mr. Griffiths insisted: “the fighting must stop”.
With AFP
