The UN agency responsible for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, reported that thousands of people in Gaza forcibly entered its aid warehouses to obtain food and essential survival items. This incident is seen as a distressing indication of the deteriorating civil order following three weeks of conflict between Israel and Gaza’s ruling Hamas organization.
UNRWA plays a crucial role in offering basic services to hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza. Many of its schools have been converted into overcrowded shelters to accommodate Palestinians who have been displaced due to the ongoing hostilities.
Thomas White, the director of UNRWA in Gaza, expressed concern over these break-ins, highlighting that they signify a breakdown in civil order, which has been exacerbated by the prolonged war and the tight siege on Gaza. The situation has left people feeling fearful, frustrated, and desperate.
