The United Nations (UN) halted food distribution in Rafah, southern Gaza, on 21 May due to insufficient supplies and heightened security risks stemming from Israel’s intensified military operations. UNRWA, the main agency for Palestinian refugees, announced the suspension on X, attributing it to the lack of supplies. When questioned over the suspension, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric explained that both UNRWA’s distribution centre and the World Food Programme’s (WFP) warehouses in Rafah were “inaccessible due to ongoing military operations.” The humanitarian supply crisis has escalated since Israel’s military invasion of Rafah on 6 May, with several hundred thousand Palestinians still trapped and under threat of airstrikes. Israeli forces have since seized the Rafah crossing, which remains closed. Since the invasion, only about three dozen trucks have managed to enter Gaza through the Karam Abu Salem crossing (also known as Kerem Shalom) due to ongoing conflict – placing trapped Palestinians at risk of starvation. Abeer Etefa, spokesperson for the World Food Programme (WFP), expressed grave concerns to The Guardian, stating that all “humanitarian operations in Gaza are near collapse.” A US-constructed and operated floating pier intended to streamline the entry of aid…
The post UN Suspends Food Aid to Rafah, Cites Lack of Supplies and Insecurity first appeared on Egyptian Streets.
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