The United Nations Calls Most Of The Flours Sent To Gaza Dijarah Or Taken By People Who Are Hungry

Illustration of humanitarian aid convoys. (Twitter/@WFP)

JAKARTA - The United Nations said on Monday it could only bring a little flour to the Gaza Strip, the Palestinians since Israel lifted a aid blockade three weeks ago and most of it has been looted by armed gangs or taken by Palestinians who are starving.

The organization has transported 4,600 metric tons of wheat flour to Gaza via the Kerem SALom crossing, the only entry point Israel has allowed for use, UN Deputy Spokesperson Fahan Haq said.

Haq said aid groups in Gaza estimated between 8,000 and 10,000 metric tons of wheat flour needed to give each family in Gaza a bag of flour and "reduce pressure on the market and reduce despair."

"Most were taken by desperate and starving people before supplies reached their destination. In some cases, supplies were looted by armed gangs," Haq said.

According to the World Food Program (WFP) guidelines, 4,600 metric tons of flour will provide bread for about eight days for 2 million Gazans, based on a standard daily ration of 300 grams per person.

Haq asked Israel to allow more assistance through various crossings and routes.

The United Nations has mostly delivered flour along with a limited number of medical and nutritional items since Israel lifted a 11-week blockade in mid-May. Meanwhile, experts warn Gaza is at risk of starvation, with the rate of children suffering from acute malnutrition nearly three times.

Israel and the United States want the United Nations to work through the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), but the United Nations has rejected, questioned its defense and accused the distribution model of militarizing aid and forcing evacuation.

Israel and the United States have accused Hamas of stealing aid from a UN-led operation, a charge the Palestinian militant group denies.

The GHF used US private security and logistics companies to operate. The organization began operating in Gaza on May 26 and said on Monday it had so far distributed 11.4 million meals.

Israel called on the United Nations to deploy aid on the Palestinian side from the Kerem Shallom crossing, where the aid must then be taken by the United Nations and aid groups already in Gaza.

Meanwhile, the United Nations accuses Israel of regularly rejecting access requests.