The head of the United Nations Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) condemned the new help model supported by the United States in Gaza, claiming that it is a “distraction of atrocities” which takes place there, one day after the chaotic scenes in a center for aid distribution in the coastal enclave.
Tuesday, thousands of Palestinians climbed on fences to reach humanitarian supplies on a distribution site led by Gaza Foundation (GHF), supported by the United States (GHF), in Rafah, Southern Gaza.
The Gaza Ministry of Health reported that at least one person had been killed and dozens of others were injured after the forces opened fire.
Gaza health officials told Tel Aviv Tribune that at least three people had been killed, without providing more details.
Ajith Sunghay, head of the United Nations Human Rights Office in the occupied Palestinian territory, journalists in Geneva told 47 Palestinians, was injured, mainly by Israeli shots during the incident.
The Israeli army said that its forces had drawn nearby warning fire.
“We saw yesterday the shocking images of hungry people growing against fences, desperately for food. It was chaotic, unworthy and dangerous,” Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA, to journalists from the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo, told.
“I believe it is a waste of resources and a distraction of atrocities,” continued Lazzarini. “We already have a help distribution system suitable for use”.
“The clock turns towards famine, so humanitarian aid (work) must be authorized to do its rescue work now,” said Lazzarini.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later recognized a “temporarily loss of control” at the center, but a senior military official said that distribution was “a success”.
UN UN
Israel has facilitated GHF’s efforts and says that the model prevents supplies from Hamas.
The GHF has faced charges of helping Israel to achieve its military objectives while excluding the Palestinians, bypassing the United Nations system and not adhering to humanitarian principles.
The GHF, supported by Israel and its close ally, the United States, said that it had distributed around 8,000 food boxes, which is equivalent to 462,000 meals, because Israel has softened an 11-week blockade from the Palestinian enclave broken last week.
The UN and other international aid groups have boycotted the Foundation, which according to them, undermines the principle that humanitarian aid should be distributed independently of the parties to a conflict, according to needs.
“The help distribution model proposed by Israel does not align itself with basic humanitarian principles,” said Lazzarini on Wednesday.
“He will deprive a large part of Gaza, very vulnerable people, of desperately necessary help,” he said.
He added: “We had, before, 400 distribution places, centers in Gaza. With this new system, we are talking about three to four maximum distribution places.
“It is therefore also a way to encourage people to be in force to get humanitarian aid,” he said.
Like an aid drop has taken over, Israeli forces-which now control the vast Gaza areas-have maintained their offensive, killing 3,901 Palestinians since a short ceasefire collapsed in mid-March, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health.
At least eight people were killed and others were injured early Wednesday after Israeli forces targeted the home of the journalist Osama al-Arbid, who has survived the strike in the Asftawi region in the north of the territory.
Medical sources told Tel Aviv Tribune that at least 15 people had been killed by Israeli attacks since the early hours of Wednesday morning through Gaza.
The Ministry of Health in Gaza managed by Hamas said on Monday that at least 3,822 people had been killed on the territory since Israel had ended a ceasefire on March 18, tolling the war at 53,977, mainly civilians.
