Israel Blocks UNRWA’s Food Convoys From Entering Starving North Gaza

Israel is blocking food convoys that belong to the United Nations’ Palestinian aid agency from entering Gaza’s northern region, where Palestinians are facing an increasingly dire starvation crisis created by the ongoing Israeli military offensive in the territory.

As of Sunday, Israel is denying the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) from “providing lifesaving assistance to northern Gaza,” according to Philippe Lazzarini, the agency’s chief.

“Despite the tragedy unfolding under our watch, the Israeli Authorities informed the UN that they will no longer approve any [UNRWA] food convoys to the north,” Lazzarini posted on X, the former Twitter. “This is outrageous & makes it intentional to obstruct lifesaving assistance during a man made famine. These restrictions must be lifted.”

UNRWA is considered the primary agency that supplies and distributes desperately needed aid and services to Palestinian refugees, including those in Gaza. While other groups are trying to bring aid into the besieged territory ― and facing hurdles from Israeli fire and a breakdown of order ― UNRWA has the resources and infrastructure to be able to provide food, water, shelter and medicine to a large population.

“UNRWA is the largest organization with the highest reach to displaced communities in Gaza,” Lazzarini wrote. “By preventing UNRWA to fulfill its mandate in Gaza, the clock will tick faster towards famine & many more will die of hunger, dehydration + lack of shelter. This cannot happen, it would only stain our collective humanity.”

The block comes just days after lawmakers in the U.S. passed a spending package that included a ban on funding UNRWA through March 2025, extending President