Humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsening as gangs loot food supplies

[Karah Rucker]

THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN GAZA INTENSIFIES WITH REPORTS OF  ARMED GANGS RAIDING PALESTINIAN FOOD SUPPLIES.

NOW ISRAEL IS BEING BLAMED FOR FAILING TO STOP IT. 

MULTIPLE U-N AND U-S OFFICIALS TELLING REUTERS THAT ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES PLEDGED TO CRACK DOWN ON THE GANGS IN OCTOBER, BUT REPORTEDLY ONLY TOOK LIMITED ACTION, INSTEAD REMAINING FOCUSED ON ITS FIGHT AGAINST HAMAS.

AN I-D-F SPOKESPERSON DID NOT COMMENT ON WHAT WAS AGREED ON IN OCTOBER OR WHAT’S BEEN DONE TO CURB LOOTING, BUT DID SAY ISRAEL HAS TAKEN SIGNIFICANT STEPS TO ALLOW THE MAXIMUM POSSIBLE AMOUNT OF AID TO GAZA. 

ACCORDING TO U-N RELIEF AGENCIES 9-POINT-5 MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF FOOD AND OTHER GOODS WAS LOST IN OCTOBER BECAUSE OF GANG ATTACKS AND LOOTING. 

U-N OFFICIALS ARE STILL LOOKING AT NUMBERS FOR LAST MONTH, BUT ONE INCIDENT ON NOVEMBER 16TH INVOLVED SEVERAL GUNMEN ATTACKING MORE THAN 100 FOOD AID TRUCKS FROM U-N AGENCIES SHORTLY AFTER ENTERING GAZA. 

A PALESTINIAN TRUCK DRIVER TOLD THE NEW YORK TIMES … THE GANGS FORCED HIM TO DRIVE OFF COURSE WHERE HE WAS HELD AT GUNPOINT FOR HOURS AS THEY RAIDED THOUSANDS OF POUNDS OF AID MEANT FOR GAZANS. 

EARLIER THIS MONTH, THE U-N AGENCY FOR PALESTINIAN REFUGEES, UNRWA SAID IT WOULD NO LONGER DELIVER AID THROUGH THE KEREM SHALOM (keh-REM shah-LOHM) CROSSING DUE TO DISORDER AND VIOLENCE.

THE HAMAS RUN GAZA HEALTH MINISTRY SAYS MORE THAN 45-THOUSAND PEOPLE HAVED DIED IN GAZA SINCE THE START OF THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR ON OCTOBER 2023. 

FOR SAN – I’M KARAH RUCKER.

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