CAIRO: The lack of supplies and insecurity made the United Nations to suspend food distribution in Rafah southern Gaza on Tuesday. It was also said that there were no aid trucks from a floating pier sponsored by US for sea deliveries in the past two days.
The UN has not specified how many people have stayed in Rafah since the Israeli military began its intensified assault there two weeks ago, but apparently several hundred thousand people remain.The World Food Program said it was also running out of food for central Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fleeing Rafah have sought shelter in a chaotic exodus, setting up new tent camps or crowding into areas that had been previously ravaged by earlier Israeli offensives.
Abeer Etefa, a spokesperson for the U.N’s World Food Program, warned that “humanitarian operations in Gaza are near collapse.” If food and other supplies don’t resume entering Gaza “in massive quantities, famine-like conditions will spread,” she said.
This warning coincided with Israel’s efforts to manage damage caused by a request from the world’s leading court for war crimes prosecutor seeking arrests for Israeli and Hamas leader supported by France as well as two other European nations.
The Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minsister Yoav Gallant who received mention from International Criminal Court Prosecutor have denied allegations levelled against them among other officials. Additionally, three top commanders of Hamas were accused by prosecutor at ICC for their involvement in killing civilians during attack on 7 October.
Nearly half of the population (approximately 1.1 million) living in Gaza is facing an imminent risk to fall into famine status according to United Nations. In just two weeks since May 6 when Israel launched incursion into Rafah pledging to stamp out Hamas militants, this humanitarian crisis has exploded. The troops captured Rafah bordering Egypt which has been closed since then while only about three dozen trucks delivered aid through nearby Kerem Shalom crossing point from Israel due to the fighting making it impossible for aid workers to access, says U.N.
The UN has been saying that months ago Israeli assault on Rafah would destroy the efforts of providing food, medicine and other relief supplies to Palestinians across Gaza. During the war, Rafah was filled with sights of hungry children clutching bowls and plastic containers in impromptu soup kitchens; many families eat just one meal daily. The city had swollen to about 1.3 million occupants after most fled other battles there.
Although Israel says it has not yet carried out a full-scale invasion of the city that its officials had planned, over 810 000 people have streamed out of Rafah. Moreover, US informed them that Israel did not submit any credible strategies and plans for evacuating or shielding their inhabitants.
A post by UNRWA titled X said it suspended distribution in Rafah without giving more details except citing lack of supplies. Due to prevailing military operations, Stephane Dujarric in his capacity as United Nations spokesman said UNRWA office in Rafah and WFP warehouses had become “inaccessible.”
On being asked whether this meant that people wouldn’t get food anymore Dujarric replied: “people don’t eat.”
Etifa noted that the WFP had also stopped distributing in Rafah, because it had given out all it had. It is still giving out hot food in Central Gaza and “limited distribution” of lesser food parcels in central Gaza, but “within days,” said Etefa, “food parcel stocks will run out.”
Israeli officials say they put no limits on the amount of aid going through the crossings. Some aid trucks are still coming into northern Gaza through an Israeli crossing.
The United States has portrayed the floating jetty on Gaza coast as a possible route for quick supplies. The first 10 trucks rolled off a ship onto the pier on Friday and were taken to a WFP warehouse. Yet, according to Etefa, only five trucks reached the warehouse this time round after a second batch of 11 trucks came under attack from crowds of hungry Palestinians who took supplies.
There was no further deliveries from the pier either on Sunday or Monday. She also said that without continued flow of relief assistance ensuring people that “it’s not one-time event”, convoys will keep on being looted.
“It extends throughout Gaza itself rather than ending at its crossings and other points of entry,” she added.
Meanwhile, as per military claims about their locations where operations are focused this particular time around, fighting has intensified in North Gaza as opposed to places already targeted during previous offensive against Hamas fighters by Israeli soldiers.
One of the key hospitals in north Kamal Adwan had to be evacuated after being hit by Israelis whom claimed it was ‘targeted,’ said Gazan Health Ministry. This included casualties such as burn patients and babies inside incubators while undergoing shelling forcing numerous staff members along with around 150 patients to flee from there within hours. Israeli military did not immediately reply to requests for comment.
For three days now, Awda Hospital nearby has been surrounded by troops; Tuesday hospital administration reported that fifth floor was hit by an artillery shell. Just the previous day, medical aid group Doctors Without Borders had revealed that Awda Hospital was out of drinking water.
The war began on October 7th when Hamas-led militants attacked Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians and took around 250 hostages. ICC prosecutor Karim Khan stated that Hamas’ leaders were guilty of crimes against humanity including extermination, murder and sexual violence.
Israeli forces then launched an offensive that has killed over 35,000 Palestinians according to Gaza’s health ministry, which does not distinguish between non-combatants and fighters in its figures.
ICC prosecutor Karim Khan’s call for arrest warrants yesterday adds to international isolation for Israel at a time when it faces increasing criticism from even its closest allies during the war in Gaza. France, Belgium and Slovenia each said they supported the decision by Khan’.
In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz is flying to France on Tuesday to tell it “loudly” that it cannot accept such a move against Netanyahu and Gallant under any circumstances even if the court says so.”
His meetings there may set the stage for how countries will handle their requests for [and if they are issued] arrest warrants and, in the process, whether these could pose risks to Israeli leaders. A panel of three ICC judges is going to determine whether to issue any arrest warrant and let a case proceed. Typically it takes about two months before these judges are able to make such decisions.
Israel continues to enjoy support from its most powerful ally, the United States, as well as other Western countries who opposed that move. Even though Israel itself is not part of the court, such warrants may have implications on international travel for Netanyahu and his defense minister even if they do not face immediate prosecution risks.
The prosecutor also applied for Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif and Ismail Haniyeh. In the West, Hamas has been designated an international terrorist organization already. Southward in Gaza where Sinwar and Deif are probably hiding. Haniyeh however is the supreme leader of Islamic militant group based in Qatar frequently travels across the region. Probably she has travelled several times across middle east among which one includes Qatar. Nothing like this happens with Israel because it too does not belong to ICC.
