A United Nations official has accused Hamas of interfering with humanitarian aid distribution in the Gaza Strip, adding further pressure on civilians already facing severe shortages and worsening living conditions.
In a statement issued late on Sunday, the UN humanitarian coordinator for the Palestinian territories said aid operations had been suspended on Saturday after armed men entered a food distribution site in northern Gaza and assaulted two truck drivers at a World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse.
Ramiz Alakbarov, the UN Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, said the incidents reflected a wider pattern of intimidation, violence and obstruction affecting humanitarian operations.
“These incidents are not isolated. They are completely unacceptable and reflect an increasingly dangerous pattern of intimidation, violence and obstruction, including smuggling attempts, targeting and abusing humanitarian operations,” Alakbarov said.
"They are placing humanitarian workers at risk, disrupting the delivery of life-saving assistance, and further constraining the ability of humanitarian organizations to operate at a time when civilians across Gaza continue to face immense and pressing humanitarian conditions," Alakbarov added.
He warned that interference with relief operations could further restrict access to food, medical supplies and other life-saving assistance for people affected by the ongoing conflict.
Hamas rejected the accusations on Monday, saying the incident at the WFP distribution centre was not an attack or an attempt to block humanitarian work.
The group’s media office said security forces had carried out a law enforcement operation after receiving reports that smuggled cigarettes and mobile phone components had been hidden inside aid packages.
“The incident at the World Food Programme (WFP) food distribution centre in the Abu Rashid area of Jabalia Refugee Camp was neither a ‘raid,’ an ‘attack,’ nor an ‘obstruction’ of humanitarian work, as falsely claimed,” Hamas said.
The dispute comes more than two-and-a-half years after Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack on Israel triggered a war that has left much of Gaza severely damaged.
Israeli air and ground operations have displaced almost the entire population of the territory, which is home to around two million people. Many residents are now living in tents or damaged buildings across a narrow coastal area still governed by Hamas.
Israeli forces remain in control of more than 60% of Gaza, including its border crossings and access points, according to officials.
Negotiations aimed at securing a ceasefire, disarming Hamas and achieving an Israeli withdrawal from the Strip have continued for months but have made limited progress.
As fighting and political disagreements persist, humanitarian organisations warn that civilians remain caught in an increasingly severe crisis, with aid access and worker safety continuing to be major concerns.
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