Food prices are on the rise in the Gaza Strip following an incident where armed individuals attacked and looted nearly 100 U.N. aid trucks that had crossed over from Israel. Out of the 109 trucks that entered central Gaza, 97 were violently looted and forced to unload aid at gunpoint, as reported by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
The situation has led to critical shortages of flour, resulting in the diminished capacity and closure of U.N.-supported bakeries in Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis. This has exacerbated the food crisis, endangering the lives of over 2 million people who rely on humanitarian aid for survival.
Residents in Deir al-Balah have witnessed the price of flour skyrocketing to over $100 per bag, if it is even available for purchase.
The convoy of aid trucks, initially directed by the Israeli military to take an alternative route, was robbed near the Kerem Shalom crossing. Israel has accused criminal gangs and Hamas of being responsible for the theft, while a Hamas official alleged that the looters were young Bedouins operating near Israeli military positions.
Reports suggest that Hamas-run security forces in Gaza have initiated an operation against the looters, resulting in the reported deaths of 20 individuals.
One displaced Gaza resident expressed the dire situation, highlighting the lack of goods and financial resources available.
UNRWA has criticized the Israeli authorities for failing to meet their legal obligations under international law to ensure the basic needs of the population are met and to facilitate the safe delivery of aid into Gaza.
The agency emphasized the ongoing responsibility to provide essential assistance to the people in Gaza until their needs are adequately addressed.
