The World Food Programme has made the difficult decision to pause food deliveries to northern Gaza due to the complete chaos and violence that aid convoys have faced.
Reports of hunger and disease have prompted the pause on aid deliveries, highlighting a “precipitous slide into hunger and disease” in the region.
The Israeli military had ordered 1.1 million Palestinians to evacuate all areas north of Wadi Gaza at the beginning of its ground offensive in October. Although most residents followed the order, hundreds of thousands chose to stay or were unable to flee. The ongoing conflict has led to a scarcity of aid deliveries to the region, with many people in northern Gaza dependent on assistance for their survival.
The WFP had planned to begin a week-long delivery this weekend, sending 10 lorries each day to address the growing hunger and desperation in the region. However, the convoys faced challenges as they neared the Wadi Gaza checkpoint, including being surrounded by crowds of hungry people and facing gunfire upon entering Gaza City.
The situation in northern Gaza has reached critical levels, with food and safe water becoming scarce, and diseases spreading rapidly. The WFP and UNICEF have warned that more than 15% of children under two years of age in the north of Gaza are acutely malnourished. The agency is urgently seeking ways to resume deliveries and is calling for a major expansion of aid to the region.
At the same time, the UN human rights office is closely monitoring reports of violence by Israeli forces against Palestinian women and girls in Gaza and the West Bank. Independent UN experts have expressed concern about credible allegations, including extrajudicial killings and sexual assault of female detainees.
The ongoing conflict has led to the deaths of thousands of people in the Palestinian territory, and the UN has urged Israel to comply with the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice and ensure full accountability for the conduct of its military and security forces.
As the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, urgent action is needed to prevent a further escalation of the humanitarian crisis. The WFP must be enabled to resume deliveries and reverse the path towards famine for thousands of desperate people in northern Gaza. Additionally, greater efforts are needed to ensure the safety and well-being of women and children affected by the conflict.
