UN food agency suspends operations in Gaza after Israeli soldiers open fire at aid convoy

The UN food agency suspended its staff's movement in the Gaza Strip until further notice after Israeli soldiers opened fire on an aid vehicle ten times. No injuries or casualties among the staff were reported.

A World Food Program (WFP) convoy of trucks, returning from delivering aid with armoured vehicles, came under fire when one of the cars reached an Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) checkpoint. The occupation forces fired ten bullets at the vehicle.

According to the WFP, the incident occurred on August 27 at the Wadi Gaza bridge. The attack took place “despite the vehicle being clearly marked and having received multiple clearances from Israeli authorities.”

The vehicle "sustained at least ten bullets: five on the driver’s side, two on the passenger side and three on other parts of the vehicle. None of the employees onboard were physically harmed,” WFP stated on its website. 

The food agency mentioned that this was not an isolated incident as humanitarian workers have been blatantly targeted and killed by Israeli occupation forces during the ongoing military offensive in Gaza.

“The incident is a stark reminder of the rapidly and ever shrinking humanitarian space in the Gaza Strip, where increasing violence compromises our ability to deliver life-saving assistance,” said the WFP.

"I call on the Israeli authorities and all parties to the conflict to act immediately to ensure the safety and security of all aid workers in Gaza," WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain emphasised.

The Israeli military onslaught on Gaza has shown no restraint in targeting humanitarian organisations and their operations, sabotaging aid efforts for Palestinians in the region.

Due to evacuation orders, the UN shifted its main operations center from Deir Al-Balah on Sunday, which had earlier been declared a humanitarian zone by Israel.

The overall Palestinian death toll since the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza has reached at least 40,435, with 93,534 wounded. Thousands more remain trapped under the rubble of destroyed buildings.