How was a UN aid convoy robbed near Israeli military positions?

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The looting of 97 trucks of a UN assistance convoy successful show of Israeli subject installations astatine nan Karem Abu Salem crossing (Kerem Shalom for Israelis) has exacerbated nan suffering of nan blockaded Gaza Strip, already successful an acute humanitarian crisis.

The 109-truck convoy of assistance shipments from respective UN agencies was intercepted by equipped men connected Saturday nighttime who forced nan drivers to unload cargo astatine gunpoint, injured assistance workers and damaged nan vehicles, nan UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said.

UNRWA did not place nan perpetrators, only saying nan origin was nan “total breakdown of civilian order” among a organization that nan Israeli authorities are, according to nan agency, responsible for ensuring receives capable assistance to meet its basal needs.

The tv channel, Al-Aqsa, reported that Hamas’s Interior Ministry sources successful Gaza had confirmed much than 20 of nan pack members suspected of carrying retired nan robbery had been killed by Hamas information forces acting successful coordination pinch tribal committees.

Anyone caught taking portion successful akin looting would beryllium treated pinch “an robust fist”, it said.

How superior was this?

Very.

According to Al Jazeera analogous Maram Humaid, fears among Palestinians centre connected nan imaginable of nan “imminent famine” facing Gaza’s south, successful summation to that successful nan blockaded north.

Food, including basics specified arsenic flour and vegetables, is almost intolerable to root and, successful nan uncommon instances it tin beryllium found, is often priced beyond nan scope of many.

Trucks carrying humanitarian assistance destined for nan Gaza Strip, amid nan ongoing conflict successful Gaza betwixt Israel and Hamas, queue astatine nan Kerem Shalom crossing successful confederate Israel, November 11, 2024. REUTERS/Amir Cohen

How bad was it before?

Intensely.

The magnitude of nutrient allowed into Gaza by nan Israeli subject successful October fell to astir a quarter of nan mean for nan remainder of nan year.

In nan northbound of Gaza, blockaded by nan Israeli subject since early October, conditions person been described by UN heads arsenic “apocalyptic”.

Despite Israel failing to meet nearly each nan conditions group retired successful an ultimatum by its main ally, nan United States, to amended nan hopeless conditions successful Gaza, nary action was taken.

Moreover, Israel’s volition to fundamentally prohibition UNRWA, nan UN’s main assistance agency successful Gaza, has besides continued unchecked contempt world protests.

UNRWA head, Phillipe Lazzarini, told nan state-run Turkish property agency Anadolu connected Monday location was nary “Plan B” for assistance transportation to Gaza, assistance that supported nan astir 2.2 cardinal group trapped wrong nan enclave.

FILE - Palestinians statement up for free nutrient during nan ongoing Israeli aerial and crushed violative connected nan Gaza Strip successful Rafah, Jan. 9, 2024. A apical U.N. charismatic said Friday, May 3, 2024, that hard-hit bluish Gaza was now successful “full-blown famine" aft much than six months of warfare betwixt Israel and Hamas and terrible Israeli restrictions connected nutrient deliveries to nan Palestinian territory. (AP Photo/Hatem Ali, File)

Why didn’t nan Israeli service do thing erstwhile equipped groups attacked nan convoy?

It’s unclear.

The ambush took spot adjacent nan heavy fortified – by Israel – Karem Abu Salem crossing betwixt Gaza and Israel.

Palestinians successful Gaza person told Al Jazeera of their disorder complete how, successful 1 of nan astir heavy surveilled territories connected nan planet, nan beingness of truthful galore equipped men could person gone undetected.

The Washington Post said it had obtained an soul UN memo from October that said nan gangs successful Gaza “may beryllium benefitting from a passive if not progressive benevolence” aliases “protection” from nan Israeli army.

One pack leader, nan memo said, had established a “military-like compound” successful an area “restricted, controlled and patrolled by nan IDF (Israeli army)”.

Earlier this month, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported connected equipped Palestinian gangs routinely raiding assistance convoys entering done Karem Abu Salem, an area ostensibly nether nan power of nan Israeli army.

“I saw 1 Israeli tank, and a Palestinian equipped pinch a Kalashnikov [rifle] conscionable 100 metres [about 328 feet] from it,” a elder charismatic from an organisation moving successful Gaza told nan newspaper.

“The equipped men hit nan drivers and return each nan nutrient if they aren’t paid [protection money].”

Have Israelis illegally blocked assistance before?

Yes.

In May, outgoing Israeli constabulary main Kobi Shabtai said Ben-Gvir had prevented him from protecting assistance convoys from nan Israeli far-right and settler protesters looking to artifact alleviation from reaching Gaza.

The aforesaid month, nan UK’s Guardian newspaper reported that individual members of Israel’s information services and subject were tipping disconnected protesters connected nan timing and transition of assistance trucks into Gaza to let for their interception.

Late past week, Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir told Israel National News that he was opposed to immoderate shape of humanitarian assistance entering Gaza.

Criticising nan furniture determination to marginally summation assistance successful ray of nan US ultimatum, nan far-right curate told nan channel: “I judge that arsenic agelong arsenic we person hostages successful Gaza, we must not springiness immoderate concessions to nan Strip, not moreover to nan civilian population.”