Humanitarian Aid Groups Suspend Operations in Gaza Strip

January 09, 2009

Humanitarian Aid Groups Suspend Operations in Gaza Strip

The U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution calling for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, just after the United Nations announced it would suspend humanitarian aid deliveries in the area because of Israeli attacks on its facilities and personnel, reports The Washington Post.

The resolution expresses “grave concern” over the “deepening humanitarian crisis” in Gaza and calls for more international aid and “unimpeded” distribution of food, fuel, medical treatment, and other humanitarian assistance. More than half of Gaza’s 1.5 million residents rely on food aid, and water, power, medical supplies, and cooking gas are in short supply.

Humanitarian aid workers, such as officials at the U.N. Relief and Works Agency and the International Committee of the Red Cross, say Israeli forces have fired on workers and vehicles, killing some, and have otherwise interrupted or delayed their work. Chris Gunness, a spokesman for the agency, said that three U.N. workers had been killed by Israeli fire since Dec. 27.

Ilan Tal, a reserve brigadier general in Israel, said that he was looking into the accusations but added that Israel had not made any effort to focus on aid workers in the attacks.

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Comments

“Because of Israeli attacks on its facilities and personnel” — shame on The New York Times and The Chronicle for the misleading spin put on this story. You would have all of us believe that Israeli forces are deliberately targeting UN relief workers, when it is Palestinian terrorists hiding among the workers whom Israel is really targeting. Also, there is no mention of the initial breaking of the cease fire by Palestinian forces in the first place. You make no mention about the bombs hitting innocent Israelies coming from Gaza and Lebanon.

— Kevin Feldman Jan 9, 05:13 PM #

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