Six Palestinians were killed and 83 more were wounded in an incident in Gaza City as they waited for aid trucks to arrive at Kuwait Roundabout. This came after a warehouse and food distribution center in southern Rafah was bombed, killing at least one UNRWA employee and injuring 22 others. The UN Emergency Relief Coordinator condemned the attack, stating that aid operations must be protected and the war in Gaza must stop.
The warehouse hit in the Israeli attack was one of the agency’s few remaining distribution points in Gaza. UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini expressed concern about food supplies running out and hunger turning into famine in some areas. The agency had shared the coordinates of the facility with all parties involved in the conflict. Despite the damage caused by the attack, supplies were still being sent out from the warehouse.
UNRWA warned against reported Israeli plans to transfer 1.4 million Palestinians from Gaza’s southernmost city to camps or “humanitarian islands” further north. The agency described the proposal as “apocalyptic” and expressed concerns about an impending Israeli invasion of Rafah. UNRWA Director of Communications emphasized that no place in Gaza is safe, and any further escalation would have catastrophic consequences.
Amid these developments, an NGO ship remained moored off the Gaza coastline after setting out from southern Cyprus on a humanitarian mission. The initiative involved UN-partner World Central Kitchen and the search-and-rescue charity Open Arms, in coordination with Israeli authorities and the international community. The goal was to deliver 200 tonnes of relief supplies to Gaza, where aid operations have been severely impacted by the ongoing conflict.
Since October, at least 165 UNRWA team members have been killed in Gaza, and over 150 facilities, including many schools, have been hit. The agency has faced challenges in maintaining aid operations and ensuring the safety of its staff and supplies. The situation in Gaza has been described as dire, with widespread hunger and limited access to essential resources. The international community has called for an end to the violence and urged all parties to protect humanitarian workers and civilians in the conflict zone.
The escalation of violence in Gaza has had devastating consequences for the civilian population, with reports of increasing casualties and widespread destruction. The targeting of humanitarian facilities and aid workers has further exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in the region. Efforts to deliver relief supplies and support the affected population have faced significant challenges due to the ongoing conflict. The international community has called for an immediate ceasefire and a resolution to the conflict to prevent further loss of life and ensure the protection of civilians in Gaza.
