The UN agency for Palestine refugees decided on Sunday to halt aid delivery through the Kerem Shalom crossing, a main entry point for humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, citing ongoing safety concerns along the route.
Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), stated on social media platform X that on November 16, a large convoy of aid trucks was stolen by armed gangs, and on Saturday, a few food trucks were also taken.
"This difficult decision comes at a time hunger is rapidly deepening. The delivery of humanitarian aid must never be dangerous or turn into an ordeal," Lazzarini said.
In Gaza, the humanitarian operation has become unnecessarily impossible due to "the ongoing siege, hurdles from Israeli authorities, political decisions to restrict the amounts of aid, lack of safety on aid routes and targeting of local police," he further explained.
Lazzarini urged the Israeli side to ensure the smooth entry of aid into Gaza.
Israel has not yet responded to the decision made by UNRWA.
UNRWA halts aid delivery through main Gaza crossing amid safety concerns
The Arab League (AL), formally the League of Arab States, on Sunday held an event to commemorate the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, calling on the international community to protect the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.
The event was held in Cairo, capital of Egypt, at the Arab League headquarters, with permanent representatives of the Arab League member states, envoys of some countries and representatives of international organizations attending the event.
Liao Liqiang, Chinese ambassador to Egypt and plenipotentiary envoy to the Arab League, also attended the event.
Addressing the event, Saeed Abu Ali, AL assistant secretary-general for Palestine and occupied Arab territories affairs and also representative of AL secretary-general Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, reiterated in his speech that the two-state solution is the only way to resolve the Palestinian issue.
"We respect those countries that recognize Palestine as an independent country as they have recognized that if an independent Palestinian state with its borders set on June 4, 1967 and with East Jerusalem as its capital cannot be established in this region, the region will not see security and stability. We hope that all countries can take this action, which is expected to help realize the two-state solution," he said.
Representatives of many countries condemned the continuous crimes committed by Israel against the Palestinian people, and called on the international community to take further actions to protect the legitimate rights of the Palestinians.
The Arab League awarded organizations and individuals including the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) for their contributions to supporting the Palestinian cause.
The Arab League is a regional organization in the Arab world. It was formed in Cairo in 1945, initially with seven members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and North Yemen. Currently, it has 22 members.
Arab League commemorates Int'l Day of Solidarity with Palestinian People
