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.
Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have moved to deepen their strategic partnership, with President Ilham Aliyev’s state visit focusing on political t...
Only four commodity vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, following 13 transits a day earlier, as disruptions continue to restrict traffi...
Qatar has pledged to bring professors from Qatar and other Islamic countries to Afghanistan and help equip a cancer treatment centre, as the two co...
Iran on Saturday denounced U.S. plans to announce new sanctions that could put further strain on the Islamic Republic's economy and have an impact on its most important trading partners including China.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that Kyiv wants peace but will not surrender to Russia, as foreign leaders joined Independence Day events marking 35 years since Ukraine’s independence.
A newly created pro-government political party has secured a commanding victory in Kazakhstan's snap parliamentary election, according to exit polls, strengthening President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's influence at a pivotal moment in the country's political transition.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected calls for a wartime election, arguing that holding a vote while Russia's full-scale invasion continues would divide the country and undermine national unity.
Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have elevated bilateral ties with a Treaty on Eternal Friendship signed by Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent on 23 August. The leaders also agreed to expand trade, investment, transport, and regional cooperation.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that Kyiv wants peace but will not surrender to Russia, as foreign leaders joined Independence Day events marking 35 years since Ukraine’s independence.
Online fast-fashion retailer Shein is seeking to raise up to $1.77 billion in a Hong Kong IPO after its valuation fell around 70 per cent from its private-market peak four years ago.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 24th of August, covering the latest developments.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said on Monday that his party will introduce a bill to ban children under 16 from using social media. The proposal would allow fines of up to 10 per cent of a platform’s global revenue for non-compliance.
Icelanders will vote on Saturday, 29 August, on whether to resume negotiations with the European Union, in a referendum that could reopen the country’s long-debated membership question.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment