By Yakoota Al Ahmad
ISTANBUL (AA) - The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) on Sunday suspended the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip through the Israeli-held Kerem Shalom crossing due to insecurity.
“We are pausing the delivery of aid through Kerem Shalom, the main crossing point for humanitarian aid into Gaza. The road out of this crossing has not been safe for months,” UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said in a statement.
He said a large aid convoy moving into the territory was stolen by armed gangs last month.
“Yesterday, we tried to bring in a few food trucks on the same route. They were all taken,” Lazzarini said.
“This difficult decision comes at a time hunger is rapidly deepening. The delivery of humanitarian aid must never be dangerous or turn into an ordeal.”
The UNRWA chief said Israel’s ongoing siege, restrictions, lack of safety, and targeting of local police make it impossible to carry out humanitarian operations in Gaza.
“The responsibility of protection of aid workers and supplies is with the State of Israel as the occupying power. They must ensure aid flows into Gaza safely and must refrain from attacks on humanitarian workers,” Lazzarini said.
“I call once again for a cease-fire that would also secure the delivery of safe and uninterrupted aid to people in need.”
Israel has launched a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas in October last year, killing nearly 44,400 people, most of them women and children, and injuring over 105,000.
The second year of genocide in Gaza has drawn growing international condemnation, with officials and institutions labeling the attacks and blocking of aid deliveries as a deliberate attempt to destroy a population.
On Nov. 21, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its deadly war on Gaza.
* Writing by Ikram Kouachi