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UN halts Gaza aid over 'thefts' UN halts Gaza aid over 'thefts'
(30 minutes later)
The UN aid agency in Gaza says it has suspended all relief shipments after hundreds of tonnes worth of food aid were seized by the Hamas government. The UN aid agency in Gaza says it has suspended all aid shipments, accusing the Hamas government of seizing hundreds of tonnes of food supplies.
Ten truckloads of flour and rice were taken from the Palestinian side of the Kerem Shalom crossing, the UN's Relief and Works Agency (Unrwa) said.Ten truckloads of flour and rice were taken from the Palestinian side of the Kerem Shalom crossing, the UN's Relief and Works Agency (Unrwa) said.
Unrwa said it would not restart aid until it had assurances from Hamas that such thefts would not be repeated. Unrwa said it was the second such theft in recent days, and sought assurances from Hamas there would be no repeat.
Gaza is facing a humanitarian crisis after Israel's three-week offensive.Gaza is facing a humanitarian crisis after Israel's three-week offensive.
About half the population is dependent on UN food aid. The UN said it had increased its food distribution in recent weeks to cover 900,000 of Gaza's population of 1.5 million. About half the population is dependent on UN food aid.
Israel intensified a blockade on the territory 19 months ago when Hamas took over the territory.Israel intensified a blockade on the territory 19 months ago when Hamas took over the territory.
Second incidentSecond incident
Unrwa said the trucks of food had been imported from Egypt, and were due to be collected by its staff at the Kerem Shalom crossing on Friday. Unrwa said the trucks of food had been imported from Egypt, and had been due to be collected by its staff at the Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Gaza on Friday.
The UN had recently increased its food distribution to Gazans
"The food was taken away by trucks contracted by the Ministry of Social Affairs," the agency said in a statement."The food was taken away by trucks contracted by the Ministry of Social Affairs," the agency said in a statement.
It was the second incident in three days. On Tuesday, 3,500 blankets and more than 400 food parcels were seized at gunpoint from a distribution centre in Gaza, the UN said.It was the second incident in three days. On Tuesday, 3,500 blankets and more than 400 food parcels were seized at gunpoint from a distribution centre in Gaza, the UN said.
The suspension "will remain in effect until the aid is returned and the Agency is given credible assurances from the Hamas government in Gaza that there will be no repeat of these thefts", a statement said. The Hamas Social Affairs Minister in Gaza, Ahmed al-Kurd, had denied that members of the Islamist movement were involved in Tuesday's incident.
But he did say his ministry was in dispute with the agency about how aid should be distributed.
He accused the UN of giving aid to local groups with ties to Hamas opponents.
Technical issues
Unrwa said the current suspension "will remain in effect until the aid is returned and the agency is given credible assurances from the Hamas government in Gaza that there will be no repeat of these thefts".
The UN has increased its food distribution in recent weeks to cover 900,000 of Gaza's population of 1.5 million following Israel's offensive against Hamas that began in December.
The UN, along with most of the Western world, does not deal directly with the Hamas leadership, which controls the Gaza Strip.
But it does have contacts with Hamas-appointed ministers and civil servants, strictly on technical issues related to the delivery of its humanitarian services in line with wider UN policy.