Gaza : Food distribution in Gaza’s Rafah has been put on hold by the UN due to a shortage of supplies 22 May Breaking News

Gaza : Food distribution in Gaza’s Rafah has been put on hold by the UN due to a shortage of supplies 22 May Breaking News

Gaza food distribution halted by UN

Over the course of the past 14 days, a large crowd has left Rafah in a disorderly departure, searching for safety in recently established tent communities.

Due to a shortage of supplies and the escalating security concerns caused by Israel’s military operation, the United Nations had to halt food distribution in Rafah, a city in southern Gaza. The U.N. expressed their worry that the humanitarian operations in the entire territory were on the brink of collapse.

According to a high-ranking American official, Israel has made significant efforts to address the Biden administration’s worries about launching a full-scale ground invasion in Rafah to eradicate Hamas fighters. President Joe Biden had previously voiced his opposition to a military assault that could jeopardize the safety of innocent Palestinians who have been displaced. The official, speaking anonymously, emphasized that they were not authorized to comment publicly.

The official stated that the administration refrained from giving the green light to the Israeli invasion plan, however, they acknowledged that the modifications made by Israeli officials indicated they were taking the concerns of the American administration seriously.

Over the past 14 days, hundreds of thousands of people have escaped Rafah in a disorderly exodus, searching for safety in new tent camps or cramming into areas previously ravaged by Israeli offensives. Around 400,000 individuals are estimated to still be in Rafah after roughly 900,000 rushed to flee, according to COGAT, the Israeli military office responsible for Palestinian civilian affairs.

The efforts to provide assistance to displaced civilians have been hindered by the closure and chaotic conditions at land crossings, as well as challenges faced by the U.S. military’s new floating pier intended to serve as an alternative sea route for aid to Gaza. Consequently, the U.N. has been unable to receive trucks at the pier since then.

In Washington, Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the press secretary of the Pentagon, revealed that the transportation of aid from the pier had been put on hold for a few days. Fortunately, it resumed on Tuesday. We are still waiting for confirmation from the U.N.

The U.N.’s World Food Program reported a lack of food resources for central Gaza, where a significant number of individuals are currently located.

Abeer Etefa, a spokesperson for WFP, mentioned that the humanitarian operations in Gaza are on the verge of collapsing. According to her, if there is no significant increase in the delivery of food and other supplies to Gaza, there is a high risk of famine-like conditions spreading.

Israel received a warning while trying to handle the global consequences of a request made at the world’s leading war crimes court. This request aimed at issuing arrest warrants for leaders from both Israel and Hamas. Interestingly, three European nations, including France, Israel’s main supporter, showed their support for this move.

Approximately 1.1 million people in Gaza, representing nearly half of the population, are currently facing severe hunger, according to the U.N. This has pushed the territory to the brink of a famine. Throughout the ongoing war, Rafah has been witnessing heart-wrenching scenes of hungry children waiting in line at makeshift soup kitchens, as many families are forced to make do with just one meal daily.

Following the Israeli forces’ incursion into Rafah on May 6, the humanitarian crisis escalated. They swiftly took over the vital Rafah crossing into Egypt, leading to its closure until now. The U.N. reports that due to the dangerous conditions caused by the conflict, only a limited number of aid trucks, approximately three dozen, managed to reach Gaza through the nearby Kerem Shalom crossing from Israel after May 10.