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Overnight raids on UN food trucks in Gaza have highlighted the ongoing challenges in distributing supplies to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians grappling with escalating hunger due to a prolonged Israeli blockade. On Wednesday, Gaza residents and merchants reported widespread looting of these aid shipments, just hours after desperate crowds overwhelmed a distribution center managed by a US-backed organization.

The incidents emphasize the severe difficulties in delivering essential aid to Palestinians facing starvation following weeks of blockade. On Tuesday, Israeli forces employed warning shots to control crowds at a distribution site overseen by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. This organization, backed by the US, recently implemented a new aid distribution system intended to prevent supplies from falling into the hands of Hamas.

However, international aid organizations, including the United Nations, have criticized the new system, regarding it as a violation of the principle that aid should be distributed neutrally and solely based on need. Despite these objections, the Israeli military allowed 95 trucks from various aid groups into Gaza. Unfortunately, Gaza residents and merchants reported that numerous trucks were looted shortly before midnight. At least 20 trucks from the UN World Food Programme were among those attacked, according to a Palestinian transport operator.

Eyewitnesses described how people, once aware of the trucks' passage, quickly erected barriers, intercepted the vehicles, and stole the goods. The ensuing chaos resulted in 47 injuries from gunfire, according to Ajith Sunghay, Head of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. He warned of the dangers of food distribution, highlighting the risk of death and injury during such operations.

Despite the heightened security measures, including a screening process intended to exclude Hamas-affiliated individuals from receiving aid, the actual identification process on the ground appeared ineffective. Footage on social media depicted crowds breaching fences to seize supplies while private security personnel retreated.

The Israeli military’s ongoing strikes complicate the already dire situation. On Wednesday alone, these attacks resulted in 15 deaths, including eight members of a local journalist's family, as reported by Palestinian health officials.

The blockade, initially imposed in March with claims that Hamas misappropriates civilian aid, faced intensified international criticism. This led to a partial easing of restrictions earlier this month. Nonetheless, Hamas has advised Gaza residents against visiting the new southern distribution sites, although it denies Israeli allegations that it is obstructing access.

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has drawn global attention, with countries traditionally reticent to criticize Israel, such as France, Britain, and Germany, suggesting possible actions if the military offensive continues. Italy recently joined this chorus, declaring the situation unacceptable and demanding an immediate halt to the campaign. Since the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on southern Israeli communities, which resulted in significant casualties and abductions, Israel's military operations have pushed over 2 million Palestinians into crowded enclaves, causing massive destruction and a staggering death toll.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, condemned the UN and other international groups for not participating in the new aid distribution system. He described the situation as "sad and disgusting," asserting that the current method, though controversial, has effectively prevented theft by Hamas.

As the international community calls for an end to the violence, the residents of Gaza continue to endure severe hardship, struggling to secure basic necessities amidst the ongoing conflict.