Desperate Gazans Storm World Food Programmer Warehouse Amid Growing Hunger Crisis
In a tragic reflection of the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, desperate residents stormed a World Food Programmed (WFP) warehouse in Deir Al-Balah, central Gaza, in search of food supplies. The incident resulted in at least two deaths and multiple injuries, according to initial reports.
Video footage captured hordes of hungry people breaking into the warehouse, taking bags of flour and cartons of food as gunfire rang out. The source of the gunfire remains unclear, but the chaos underscores the dire food shortages gripping the region.
The WFP has warned that humanitarian needs have spiraled out of control, following an 80-day blockade that severely restricted food aid into Gaza. The organization emphasized the urgent need for a scale-up in food assistance, stating that this is the only way to prevent starvation.
Israeli authorities recently allowed limited aid deliveries, with 121 trucks carrying humanitarian supplies entering Gaza. However, the UN has criticized the current aid flow as insufficient, comparing it to “a lifeboat after the ship has sunk”.
The incident comes amid growing concerns over the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a private aid distribution system backed by the US and Israel. The UN has raised ethical concerns about the GHF, arguing that a surge in aid through established humanitarian networks would be more effective in preventing looting and ensuring equitable distribution.
As Gaza faces catastrophic hunger, aid organizations continue to call for immediate and unrestricted humanitarian access to prevent further suffering.
