Israeli forces shot at a United Nations convoy of armored autos in central Gaza on Thursday night because it was coming back from delivering support within the northern a part of the territory, U.N. officers stated.
Nobody within the convoy was injured, the officers stated, however the episode highlighted the extreme challenges going through humanitarian efforts to assist Palestinians struggling to outlive amid Israel’s almost 12-week bombardment of the enclave.
“Israeli troopers fired at an support convoy because it returned from northern Gaza alongside a route designated by the Israeli Military,” Thomas White, the Gaza director for UNRWA, the U.N. aid company for Palestinian refugees, wrote on social media. He stated that one automobile within the convoy had been broken, including: “Assist staff ought to by no means be a goal.”
The Israeli navy didn’t instantly remark when requested concerning the episode.
The convoy, whose autos had been marked with U.N. insignia, was coming back from delivering support, together with flour. It was south of Gaza Metropolis when it got here below fireplace, Juliette Touma, spokeswoman for UNRWA, stated in an interview. Earlier than getting down to ship the help, the convoy had coordinated its plans with the Israeli navy and notified it of the routes it might take, she added.
Ms. Touma stated that the Israeli navy had informed the convoy to take a distinct route, which it did. “They rerouted after which the taking pictures occurred,” she stated.
Assist staff and deliveries have come below fireplace earlier than throughout Israel’s almost 12-week navy offensive in Gaza.
UNRWA says that 142 of its staff have been killed, among the many greater than 20,000 Palestinians that the Gazan Well being Ministry says have been killed within the Israeli air and floor offensive. Israel started hanging Gaza on Oct. 7 after Hamas, the armed group which controls Gaza, carried out an assault in southern Israel that killed some 1,200 folks, in line with Israeli officers.
Most UNRWA employees members have been compelled to flee their properties, and the extreme restrictions on support and gas getting into the territory, in addition to street closures ordered by the Israeli navy and in depth injury from its bombardment, have vastly restricted the company’s potential to work. The scenario has remained dire regardless of the passage final week of a U.N. Safety Council decision that might enable extra support to achieve Gazan civilians and that demanded “protected and unhindered humanitarian entry.” The decision stopped wanting calling for a cease-fire.
“It’s very tough to ship help and humanitarian aid throughout a struggle zone when there may be lively battle,” Ms. Touma stated.
On Nov. 18, a Docs With out Borders convoy trying to evacuate folks sheltering in a hospital got here below fireplace in Gaza Metropolis, killing two folks, the group stated. It blamed Israel for what it stated was a deliberate assault in opposition to autos emblazoned with the group’s brand.
Two days later, the group’s amenities in Gaza Metropolis got here below assault when pictures had been fired whereas its staff had been sheltering inside, the group stated. Docs With out Borders requested the Israeli authorities for a proper rationalization and known as for an unbiased investigation. The Israeli navy didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
On Nov. 7, a medical convoy of the Worldwide Committee of the Crimson Cross got here below fireplace in Gaza Metropolis, calmly wounding a driver and damaging two vans, the help group stated. It didn’t say who was responsible for the assault.
UNRWA says that as much as 1.9 million folks — greater than 85 p.c of Gaza’s inhabitants — have been displaced from their properties, and that almost 1.4 million are sheltering in amenities operated by the company.
Because it struggles to ship support, company officers say that determined Gazans going through acute starvation are stopping U.N. support vans, taking meals off them and devouring it on the spot.
“The little or no provides that proceed to be allowed into Gaza have led to very excessive ranges of desperation among the many communities,” Ms. Touma stated. “So it’s no shock that persons are coming to assist vans and taking meals and in lots of instances they’re consuming it then and there.”
