98 Trucks of Humanitarian Aid Lost in Gaza Looting Incident, UNRWA Claims
A convoy of 109 trucks carrying humanitarian aid into Gaza was violently looted on November 16, resulting in the loss of 98 trucks of critical supplies, according to Louise Wateridge, UNRWA Senior Emergency Officer. Describing the incident as one of the most severe of the 13-month war, Wateridge told Reuters on Monday that injuries were reported during the looting.
The trucks, carrying food provided by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and the World Food Programme (WFP), were instructed by Israel to take an unfamiliar route from the Kerem Shalom crossing at short notice, Wateridge said.
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Wateridge emphasized the urgent need for intervention to address severe food shortages, warning that the crisis threatens the lives of over two million people reliant on humanitarian aid.
Neither WFP nor COGAT, the Israeli military agency responsible for Palestinian civilian affairs, responded to requests for comment from the Reuters news agency. While COGAT has previously stated it works to ensure the entry of humanitarian aid, UN officials have criticized the growing challenges in delivering supplies, particularly to the besieged northern Gaza Strip.
On Friday, a separate UN official described Gaza aid access as being at its lowest point since the conflict began, with deliveries to certain regions becoming almost impossible.
