[News] Food aid for 1.1Mln Gazans blocked by 'Israel' at crossing: UN

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Food aid for 1.1Mln Gazans blocked by 'Israel' at crossing: UN
Al Mayadeen English
February 10, 2024
------------------------------

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees notes that 1,049 containers of rice,
flour, chickpeas, sugar and cooking oil have been blocked by the Israeli
army.
[image: 13c871c9-1584-43bd-a0cc-bdc4cab1064c.jpg]

   - Humanitarian aid trucks enter the Gaza Strip from the occupied
   territories through the "Kerem Shalom" crossing in Rafah on Sunday, Jan.
   14, 2024 (AP Photo/Hatem Ali)

The UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA (UNRWA) on Saturday reported that
"Israel" blocked a food shipment meant for 1.1 million people in Gaza.

"A food shipment for 1.1 million people is stuck at an Israeli port due to
recent restrictions from Israeli authorities. 1,049 containers of rice,
flour, chickpeas, sugar & cooking oil are stuck as families in Gaza face
hunger and starvation," the organization wrote in a post on social media.

UNRWA stated this week that "Israel" has rejected half of its aid mission
requests to northern Gaza this year, alleging the involvement of some UNRWA
staff in the October 7 operation.

Earlier in the day
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/unrwa-chief-admits-to-terminating-staff-without-probing-isra>,
the head of the UN agency Philippe Lazzarini admitted to employing a
"reverse due process" approach in dismissing the nine staff members accused
by "Israel".

He acknowledged that the employees were terminated before investigating
"Israel's" accusations against them and prior to the initiation of any
investigation.

During a press conference in al-Quds, when asked about examining evidence
against the employees, Lazzarini responded, "No, the investigation is going
on now."

He characterized the decision as “reverse due process," adding, “I could
have suspended them, but I have fired them. And now I have an
investigation, and if the investigation tells us that this was wrong, in
that case at the UN we will take a decision on how to properly compensate
[them].”

*Read more: UNRWA funding suspension 'catastrophic' for Gaza: Heads of UN
agencies
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/unrwa-funding-suspension--catastrophic--for-gaza--heads-of-u>*

Lazzarini explained that he took an "exceptional and swift decision" to
terminate the contracts of the staff members based on the highly sensitive
nature of the accusations. He emphasized that the agency was under intense
scrutiny and criticism, facing "fierce and ugly attacks" while actively
delivering aid to almost 2 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

"Indeed, I have terminated without due process because I felt at the time
that not only the reputation but the ability of the entire agency to
continue to operate and deliver critical humanitarian assistance was at
stake if I did not take such a decision," he said.

"My judgment, based on this going public, true or untrue, was I need to
take the swiftest and boldest decision to show that as an agency we take
this allegation seriously," he added.
'Gaza is a massive human rights crisis and a humanitarian disaster'

The United Nations has lately warned that “Gaza is a massive human rights
crisis and a humanitarian disaster."

Out of a population of 2.3 million, a staggering 1.9 million people have
been displaced, creating an environment where there is no haven, it added.

Relentless bombardments by the IOF persist in both the north and the south,
particularly in Khan Younis. Compounding the crisis is a severe shortage of
essential supplies such as food, water, medicines, tents, and other
necessities amid the cold weather.

The existing shelters are overcrowded, and sanitary conditions are
appalling, the report added. In areas like Rafah and Khan Younis, sewage is
flowing uncontrollably, creating a potential breeding ground for
epidemics—"a ticking time bomb" for a health catastrophe, as per the UN.
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