The Daily Battle for Food
One man at the soup kitchen expressed the gravity of the situation, stating that this was the only place where they received food daily. The looted convoy, which was transporting food provided by UNRWA and the World Food Programme, was instructed by Israel to leave at short notice via an unfamiliar route from the Kerem Shalom border crossing. Out of the 109 trucks in the convoy, an astonishing 98 were raided. Louise Wateridge, UNRWA's Senior Emergency Officer, also revealed that some of the transporters were injured during the incident, but the details of those who carried out the ambush remain unknown.Gaza's armed forces, formed this month in response to public anger over aid seizures and price gouging, have been working to prevent gangs from pillaging aid convoys. Residents and sources close to the group claim that these forces have carried out repeated operations, ambushing looters and engaging in armed clashes. On Tuesday, dozens of Palestinians held a funeral for a member of Hamas security forces who lost his life the previous day in clashes with looters of food aid trucks.
Gazan Diyaa Al-nasasra emphasized the collective sentiment against the bandits and looters. However, people are often forced to buy from them due to the limited options. "You are, against your will, obliged to buy a flour bag from a thief for , which is lower than its normal price which has now reached 0 to 3, because you can't pay 3 for a bag of flour." This stark reality highlights the economic hardships faced by the people.
