The UN World Food Program’s director said on Sunday that there had been a “pause” in the American-built pier off Gaza where they have been distributing humanitarian aid because she was “worried about the safety of our people” after what she described as one of the most serious days of fighting.
There were two things which happened on Saturday, an Israeli military raid that freed four captives but left 274 Palestinians and one Israeli commando dead, and according to Cindy McCain two WFP stores in Gaza were “rocketed” and an employee got hurt too.
This weekend’s announcement by the United Nations is another setback for the US sea route intended to increase food supplies to suffering people in Gaza.
Because of possible security risks, this pause was stated as necessary by USAID. Distributing U.S.-sourced food and other donations from its operated pier through partners such as WFP is part of USAID’s mandate in Gaza.
The US-built pier, completed last month, went into operation for just under a week before it was knocked offline by storm damage for 14 days. It ran again on Saturday after repairs brought in 1.1 million pounds (492 metric tons) of food and other aid. After that McCain said her agency was pausing its humanitarian work at the site.
No new information was given by the UN agency including duration of the pause..-The WPF never bothered giving further details either when contacted over phone calls or emails
Appearing on CBS’s Face The Nation program, McCain replied when asked about operations inside a pier: “Right now we’re paused.”
She further added: “I’m concerned about our people after yesterday’s event,” with no further explanation. “We also two warehouses got rocketed yesterday.”
“For now we are backing off …,” but “… let us ensure that we operate on safe terms before resuming any activities. However all over country is going on well; we are doing … everything we can in north and south.”
“We are still working with partners in Gaza and other US government officials to ensure that aid can be moved safely and effectively following the completion of the security review that is currently taking place within the humanitarian community.” USAID said in a statement to The Associated Press.
The temporary pier was set up by President Joe Biden, in his state of the union address made on March. It was intended as a way to provide limited assistance into blockaded Gaza where fighting and Israeli restrictions at land crossings have left more than half of its 2.3 million people on the verge of famine.
On Saturday, when four hostages were snatched by Hamas during an attack on October 7 which led to the current war, the US pier project came back online.
The US Central Command repelled any social media claims after the Israeli military operation on Saturday, when it tweeted that neither the pier nor any other accessories, personnel or units were used during this operation. It was emphasized that Israel used a space south of the pier to “safely return hostages.”
Humanitarian organizations should not act in ways connected to combatants’ missions in war zones because such can make assistance activities and aid workers become targets.
No humanitarian workers were involved in the Israeli operation, USAID said in a separate statement on Saturday.
Speaking about “rocketing” of WFP’s warehouses, McCain told reporters at a news conference Sunday that a staff member was injured but “everyone else is fine.”
“That’s why we need an armistice. That’s why we need to quit doing it,” so that emergency supplies from her outfit and others can reach Gaza “on scale”.
