The United Nations agency says that countless people killed pending assistance to Gaza
A large number of people hungry in the Gaza Strip have been killed by Israeli fires pending United Nations assistance trucks, the World Food Program (WFP) said in Rome on Sunday.
Shortly after crossing the north of Zikim crossing Gaza, a convoy of 25 PAT trucks met with large crowds of civilians while waiting to access food supplies, said the United Nations agency on X.
“While the convoy approached, the surrounding crowd was criticized by Israeli tanks, elite shooters and other shots.”
The incident led to the loss of “countless lives” with many more suffering critical injuries, WFP said.
“These people were simply trying to access food to feed themselves and their families on the verge of famine. This terrible incident highlights the increasingly dangerous conditions in which humanitarian operations are forced to be carried out in Gaza.”
Local health authorities reported that 67 Palestinians had been killed, while the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported 58 dead and at least 60 injured.
PAM said it was called upon to protect all civilians and humanitarian workers providing vital aid.
“Shots near humanitarian missions, convoys and food distributions must stop immediately. Any violence involving civilians looking for humanitarian aid is completely unacceptable.”
Gaza’s hunger crisis has reached new levels of despair, WFP said by reiterating calls to a ceasefire.
“A agreed ceasefire has been expected for a long time. All hostages should be released, and humanitarian workers should be able to reach the civilian population in Gaza with critical food supplies in a coherent, foreseeable, orderly and safe way-wherever they are on the other side of the Gaza Strip.”
