Thousands of Gaza residents broke into United Nations warehouses on Sunday in search of essential supplies, signaling a “breaking point” in the region, according to the United Nations Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA). The warehouses, located in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, store supplies delivered by humanitarian convoys from Egypt. Disturbing footage from Khan Younis in southern Gaza showed men desperately carrying boxes and bags out of the warehouse, loading them onto their shoulders or bicycles.
“This is a worrying sign that civil order is starting to break down after three weeks of war and a tight siege on Gaza,” said the UNRWA in a statement. Juliette Touma, UNRWA’s director of communications, expressed concern about the scenes at the warehouses and distribution centers, stating that they reflect the people’s despair. “This is an indication that people in Gaza have reached a breaking point,” she said. “The levels of frustration and despair are really very high, and people are hitting rock bottom when it comes to their patience, their ability to take more.”
The aid supplies to Gaza have been severely limited since Israel initiated bombardment in response to an attack by Hamas, the ruling militant group, on October 7. UNRWA has been forced to limit its humanitarian operation due to the inability to distribute fuel to medical facilities, and there were no additional supplies received on Sunday. “Those supplies are very, very little and they don’t correspond to the huge needs on the ground,” Touma explained. The agency is calling for a regular flow of humanitarian supplies, including fuel, and an increase in the number of trucks on convoys.
UNRWA’s ability to assist the people in Gaza has been stretched to its limits due to ongoing airstrikes that have resulted in the death of at least 59 staff members. “This is only the number that UNRWA was able to verify and confirm. Sadly, the number of colleagues who have been killed could be, in fact, higher. We have also received reports of people who are stuck under the rubble,” said Touma. Even before the conflict, the organization faced challenges in its operations due to a lack of funding.
Established in 1949 following the first Arab-Israeli war, UNRWA provides public services such as schools, healthcare, and humanitarian aid in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. Its operations have been jeopardized by the ongoing conflict, and the situation has further deteriorated with the recent influx of refugees. The international community is urged to provide support to ensure the delivery of vital supplies to the people of Gaza.