ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
Efforts by the UN World Food Programme (WFP) to deliver desperately needed food supplies to Northern Gaza resumed on Wednesday but were largely unsuccessful.
In a renewed attempt to aid the struggling enclave, a convoy of 14 trucks, tasked with transporting food supplies, faced a significant setback, according to a statement by the WFP, published on Wednesday.
The convoy, the first dispatched by the WFP since it temporarily halted deliveries to the area on February 20, encountered an impasse at the Wadi Gaza checkpoint.
After a prolonged wait of three hours, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) denied the convoy passage, forcing it to retreat.
“Although today’s convoy did not make it to the north to provide food to the people who are starving, WFP continues to explore every possible means to do so,” said Carl Skau, WFP’s Deputy Executive Director, underscoring the agency’s commitment to overcoming the logistical challenges that hinder relief efforts.
The situation escalated when the convoy, redirected after being turned away, was overwhelmed by a large crowd of desperate individuals, who looted the vehicles, taking approximately 200 tonnes of food.
Skau emphasised the critical need for more accessible entry points into Northern Gaza to facilitate the delivery of substantial food quantities necessary to prevent a looming famine.
He mentioned that road routes remain the sole viable option for transporting the needed food volumes but acknowledged the limitations of current methods.
“Airdrops are a last resort and will not avert famine. We need entry points to northern Gaza that will allow us to deliver enough food for half a million people in desperate need,” he added.
The escalating hunger crisis in Northern Gaza has reached catastrophic levels, with children succumbing to hunger-related diseases and suffering from severe malnutrition.
To address this humanitarian emergency, the WFP advocated for a multifaceted relief operation requiring additional entry points into Gaza, including the utilisation of Ashdod port.
Moreover, the organisation stressed the urgency of a ceasefire in Gaza, which would facilitate a safer environment for humanitarian staff to distribute food and other essential supplies across the Strip, particularly through northern routes.