The United Nations World Food Programme had some of its aid supplies looted in Gaza as the world agency shared that it was a sign of “growing hunger and desperation” in a news release on Sunday.
On Sunday, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East shared that “thousands” of people had broken into some of its warehouses and distribution centers.
Among the items taken by the crowds were “wheat flour and other basic survival items like hygiene supplies.”
The food program also noted in the release that one of the warehouses was storing some of its food commodities and supplies from humanitarian deliveries that have entered Gaza through Egypt.
Samer Abdeljaber, a World Food Programme official for the region, shared in the release that this was a sign of desperation.
“This is a sign of people losing hope and becoming more desperate by the minute. They are hungry, isolated, and have been suffering violence and immense distress for three weeks,” Abdeljaber said. “We need a humanitarian pause to be able to reach the people in need with food, water, and basic necessities safely and effectively. Much more access is urgently needed, and the trickle of supplies needs to become a flow.”
The food program said in its release that the “harrowing 24-hour communication blackout” and other “persistent access challenges” caused by the Israeli airstrikes on Saturday brought operations to a halt.
“WFP plans to provide food lifeline to over one million people who are going hungry now and needs a steady supply of food with at least 40 WFP trucks to cross daily into Gaza to be able to meet the escalating needs,” the statement said. “So far, emergency food and cash assistance has reached over 635,200 people in both Gaza and the West Bank.”