WFP pauses aid deliveries to northern Gaza

The World Food Programme (WFP) said it was pausing “life- saving” food deliveries to northern Gaza on February 20, Al Jazeera reported.

The UN organisation cited security reasons for the temporary halt in aid deliveries as WFP convoys have recently faced angry crowds, gunfire and general anarchy. 

Given the pummeling of Gaza by Israeli forces since October 7, around 80% of the population have been displaced meaning there are now 300,000 inhabitants in the Strip’s northern part. 

In January, the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) said that the inhabitants of northern Gaza were highly dependent on assistance for their survival. 

Recent studies have found that one in three families in the besieged territory are enduring famine-like conditions. 

READ: UN says Israel is holding back food for 1.1 million Gazans

On February 17, the WFP had hoped to begin a week-long aid scheme, which would consist of 10 lorries per day in an attempt to “stem the tide of hunger and desperation”. 

On February 18, the agency announced that as one of their convoys approached the Wadi Gaza checkpoint, it was “surrounded by crowds of hungry people” with many trying to “climb aboard”. 

The WFP recently said that over the past few days, its delegates have “witnessed unprecedented levels of desperation”. 

It added, “Gaza is hanging by a thread and WFP must be enabled to reverse the path towards famine for thousands of desperately hungry people.” 

Al Jazeera/ WFP 

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