UN says most flour delivered in Gaza looted or taken by starving people
UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations said on Monday that it has only been able to bring minimal flour into Gaza since Israel lifted an aid blockade three weeks ago and that has mostly been looted by armed gangs or taken by starving Palestinians.
The organization has transported 4,600 metric tons of wheat flour into Gaza via the Kerem Shalom crossing, the only entry point Israel allows it to use, Deputy UN spokesperson Fahan Haq told reporters.
Haq said aid groups in Gaza estimate that between 8,000 and 10,000 metric tons of wheat flour were needed to give each family in Gaza a bag of flour and 'ease the pressure on markets and reduce desperation.'
'Most of it was taken by desperate, starving people before the supplies reached their destinations. In some cases, the supplies were looted by armed gangs,' Haq said.
According to World Food Programme guidelines, 4,600 metric tons of flour would provide roughly eight days' worth of bread for Gaza's 2 million residents, based on a standard daily ration of 300 grams per person.
Haq called for Israel to let in far more aid via multiple crossings and routes.
The UN has mostly delivered flour along with limited medical and nutrition items since Israel lifted the 11-week blockade in mid-May. Experts warn Gaza is at risk of famine, with the rate of young children suffering acute malnutrition nearly tripling.
Israel and the United States want the UN to work through the controversial new Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, but the UN has refused, questioning its neutrality and accusing the distribution model of militarizing aid and forcing displacement.
Israel and the United States have accused Hamas of stealing aid from the UN-led operations, which the militants deny.
The GHF uses private US security and logistics firms to operate. It began operations in Gaza on May 26 and said on Monday so far it has given out 11.4 million meals.
Israel makes the UN offload aid on the Palestinian side of the Kerem Shalom crossing, where it then has to be picked by the UN and aid groups already in Gaza. The UN has accused Israel of regularly denying access requests.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Asharq Al-Awsat
41 minutes ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Lebanon Arrests Yemeni who Provided Israel's Mossad with Information about Houthis
Israel's last war on Hezbollah revealed that Lebanon has become 'fertile ground' for agents working for Israel. The war led to the discovery of dozens of agents, who were operating in Hezbollah's tight circle and part of Israel's war on the Iran-backed party. Lebanese security forces recently arrested a Yemeni national on suspicion of collaborating with Israel's Mossad intelligence agency, but this time the target was not Hezbollah, but the Houthis. He is suspected of providing information to Israel on Houth activity in Yemen and Lebanon. A judicial source confirmed that the arrest took place in Beirut last week. The suspect had arrived in Beirut two months ago and was residing at a hotel in the capital, the source told Asharq Al-Awsat. Last week, he attempted to enter the Yemeni embassy in Beirut, seeking to meet the ambassador to ask for a job so that he would be able to live in Lebanon permanently, he explained. Guards at the embassy barred his entry because his name was not registered at the mission. A scuffle ensued and the person insulted the guards, prompting them to detain him and seize his mobile phone. Inspecting the phone, they discovered that he was in constant contact with Israeli numbers. The guards promptly informed the Military Public Prosecution, which ordered his arrest. The suspect confessed to working for Israel and providing it with information about the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. He said he hailed from the Houthi-held capital of Sanaa and that after he moved to Beirut, he was approached by the Mossad to collect information about Houthi leaders in Lebanon. The source revealed that the suspect was in contact with the Israelis even as Israel carried out attacks on Yemen. In fact, the suspect said he was happy that the Houthis were being attacked by American and Israeli forces because of the suffering they have caused in Yemen since their coup against the legitimate government. The suspect said he was working alone and that he was not part of a network of spies, which is in line with the approach Israel has been adopting in recruiting agents in Lebanon. Following preliminary investigations, the Military Public Prosecution charged him with 'communicating with the Israeli enemy, spying for Israel on Lebanese territories and providing it with information that is harmful to state security.' He has been referred to the military investigative judge for questioning.
Arab News
7 hours ago
- Arab News
Syria rescuers say two killed in drone strikes on northwest
DAMASCUS: Two people were killed in separate drone strikes Tuesday on a car and a motorcycle in the northwestern bastion of the Islamist former rebels who now head the Syrian government, rescuers said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the twin drone strikes in the Idlib region but a US-led coalition in Syria has carried out past strikes on terrorists in the area. Earlier this year, the United States said it killed several commanders of Al-Qaeda's Syria affiliate Hurras Al-Din in the area. The group had recently announced it was breaking up on the orders of the interim government set up by the rebels after their overthrow of Bashar Assad in December. US troops are deployed in Syria as part of a US-led coalition to fight the Daesh group. When contacted by AFP, a US defense official said they were aware of the reports but had 'nothing to provide' at the time. During a meeting in Riyadh last month, US President Donald Trump called on his Syrian counterpart Ahmed Al-Sharaa to help Washington prevent a resurgence by Daesh.
Al Arabiya
8 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Trump sends troops to LA, deadly school shooting in Austria and China-US Talks
In this episode of W News Extra with Leigh-Ann Gerrans, we discuss: Trump deploying more troops to LA as protests escalate; Governor Newsom threatens legal action. Use of rubber bullets and stun grenades against protesters. A deadly school shooting in Graz, Austria, leaves 11 dead, including the gunman. Palestinian President Abbas urges Hamas to disarm and calls for international forces in Gaza. US-China trade talks continue in London amid rising export tensions, and more.
