World Food Program halts staff movement in Gaza after its vehicle came under fire by Israeli forces

By Merve Aydogan

HAMILTON, Canada (AA) – The World Food Program (WFP) on Wednesday announced temporarily halting staff movement in Gaza after its vehicle came under fire by Israeli forces at a checkpoint.

The UN vehicle returning from a humanitarian mission was hit by at least 10 bullets at an Israeli checkpoint near the Wadi Gaza bridge despite being clearly marked and having received prior clearance from Israeli authorities.

"This is totally unacceptable and the latest in a series of unnecessary security incidents that have endangered the lives of WFP’s team in Gaza," said WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain in a statement.

She emphasized that the current deconfliction system is failing, and called on Israeli authorities and all parties involved to ensure the safety of aid workers.

The statement also emphasized that it is "not the first security incident to occur during the war it is the first time that a WFP vehicle has been directly shot at near a checkpoint, despite securing the necessary clearances, as per standard protocol."

While none of the staff members were injured, the WFP highlighted that this incident underscores the shrinking humanitarian space in the Gaza Strip, where increasing violence is severely impacting the delivery of life-saving aid.

Earlier, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters during a news conference that the incident "underscores that the systems in place for coordination are not working."

He also denounced the "direct rhetoric" from Israeli officials against the United Nations, UNRWA, and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, warning that "words have consequences."